Summary
The latest RPG from Obsidian Entertainment,Avowedis set to release later this year and bring players back into the world of Eora. While notable titles from the studio likeThe Outer WorldsandFallout: New Vegashave utilized the first-person person perspective in the past, taking this approach withAvowedmarks the first time Obsidian has done so with its own original IP. Considering the game’s place in a greater pre-existing lore, and the developer’s status under a company of Microsoft’s scale, there could be a future whereAvowedpaves the way for newPillars of Eternitytitles in the same style.
While the darker tone of its first trailer led many to compareAvowedto Bethesda’s influentialSkyrim, Obsidian’s originality has become more prominent over time. A recent showcase highlighted the possibility thatAvowed’s combat is improving onSkyrim’s formulaby featuring more engaging mechanics, and the game’s more linear narrative approach sets it apart even further. The origin ofAvowedlies in the twoPillars of Eternitygames that Obsidian previously made following the success of a crowdfunding campaign, and its own success could mean more for the franchise than it was ever anticipated to achieve.
The Rich World Obsidian Entertainment Established in Pillars of Eternity
Avowed is Just Scratching the Surface of Eora
The diverse and undocumented territories ofThe Living Lands ofAvowedseem set to be an impressive display of fantasy worldbuilding, but this is still just one continent in the world of Eora. Players of thePillarsgames are familiar with places like Aedyr and the Deadfire Archipelago established in the CRPG experiences. There’s likely a lot of lore to be revealed throughoutAvowed, but the rest of Eora presents locations for an entire series of follow-ups.
The Furthest Obsidian Entertainment Has Taken an Original Fantasy IP
As the developer’s success has become more consistent in recent years, the days of financial troubles that led Obsidian to become supported by fans on the firstPillars of Eternity’s iconic Kickstarter campaignseem far behind the studio. Not only did the developer choose to bypass the typical process associated with acquiring funding for a project, it also did this for a game in a genre as niche as CRPGs. The decision to move forward with the franchise seemed to have questionable viability at one point, but the studio’s change in ownership may have changed everything.
Avowed is an Opportunity for Pillars of Eternity Under Microsoft
Avowed’s Success Could Extend the Pillars of Eternity Franchise
FollowingAvowed’s release in late 2024, there’s no telling what impact it could have on the future of Obsidian. The developer suffered from harsh deadlines and restricted development cycles in its earlier days, but this project has apparently been in production since 2020. After fleshing out a new section of Eora with its immersive first-person perspective, there’s a solid possibility thatAvowedcould lead to more games that provide the same treatment to other regions of the world. There’s no telling how long these potential sequels could take to create, but the level of depth and detail that’s supposedly present inAvowedwould ideally only be improved upon in newPillarsgames.
Returning to an Isometric Perspective Isn’t Out of the Question
The reception to themodern-day CRPG style ofPillarshasn’t always been as warm as that of the more accessible first-person experiences that Obsidian has become known for, but the genre and series still have dedicated fans that could benefit from the success ofAvowed. The recent success ofBaldur’s Gate 3may point to a broadening market for the genre too. Though games in Eora featuring a first-person view would likely makePillarsmore popular than ever, there’s always room for another CRPG to exist concurrently and continue to develop the universe.
