Obsidian Entertainment has clarified thatAvowedwill be more comparable in size toThe Outer Worldsthan toThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Ever sinceAvowedwas first announced as part of the Xbox Series X/S showcase event in 2020, expectations have been set for aSkyrim-sized RPG. That may have been Obsidian’s original plan, but development appears to have taken the developer in a different direction. It’s unclear exactly how those looking forward toAvowedwill react to that change yet.
Avowedwas revealed in July 2020with a trailer that shocked the Xbox fanbase. The trailer revealed landscapes featuring massive mountains and plains, towering castles and statues, and deep and dark caverns filled with ruins. The imagery alluded to the Mines of Moria inThe Lord of the Rings, replete with what could have been a fiery Balrog at the end. The scale of the project enraptured Xbox fans. But thenAvoweddisappeared from the public eye for three years.
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TheAvowedshown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023was remarkably different from the initial pitch made in 2020. The difference in scale stands out perhaps the most. While some might disagree, Obsidian Entertainment isn’t denying the change. Obsidian is explicitly stating that the scale ofAvowedisn’t what it was in its initial pitch. According to PC Gamer, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart saysAvowedis now more similar to past studio RPGs likeThe Outer Worldsthan it is toSkyrim.
Urquhart says that the initial plan forAvowedwas for Obsidian to make its own version ofSkyrim. Obviously, that doesn’t mean making a game exactly likeSkyrim, but rather a big open-world epic fantasy experience with first-person sword-swinging and magic. That’s what theAvowedannouncement trailer appeared to promise. Urquhart says that over time, as development progressed, plans changed. Obsidian decided that it has to make its own style of RPGs.
What that means isn’t entirely clear yet. Little aboutAvowedhas been revealed. For now, Obsidian says it means that its priority is storytelling.Avowedwill be “more focused on depth than breadth.” Early screenshots convey how that translates into gameplay.Avowedwon’t feature sprawling open-world environments likeSkyrimorRed Dead Redemption 2, and will instead be much more compact. It does look a lot like fantasyThe Outer Worlds, though.
For the time being, there isn’t much controversy growing around the significant shift in direction forAvowed.Avowedmay not beSkyrim, but there are still a lot ofObsidian fans who hope it will be likeFallout: New Vegas. At the very least, it will be akin toThe Outer Worlds, for better or worse.
Avowedreleases in 2024 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
