Highlights

  • Avowed is a highly anticipated fantasy RPG set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, capturing the hearts of many fans who can't wait for its release.
  • The game has always aimed for a 2024 release window, and hopefully it hits it, as any delays could be disastrous for its success.
  • Avowed needs to avoid launching too close to other big releases in 2025, such as Grand Theft Auto 6, in order to make a significant impact.

Hype is growing around Obsidian Entertainment's upcoming project Avowed, with its recent appearance at the Xbox Developer Direct making the game finally feel within reach for many fans. As a bold fantasy RPG set in the same universe as the popular Pillars of Eternity IP, the project has already captured the hearts of many fans who cannot wait to get their hands on the release.

For some time, Avowed has been billed as releasing in 2024, with this launch window being maintained at the recent Xbox Direct. Modern games are no stranger to delays, however, and the growing slate of upcoming releases in 2025 means that Avowed needs to make absolutely sure that its 2024 release window is met while the time is right.

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Related
Avowed Combat Includes Dual-Wielding, Wands, Guns, and More

Avowed gives fans an extensive look at its combat at Xbox Developer Direct, showing fans that they'll have plenty of control in how they want to play.

Any Delays to Avowed's 2024 Release Window Could Be Disastrous For the Title

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Avowed was first announced to the gaming industry at the Xbox Games Showcase in 2020, arguably being the most ambitious project that Obsidian has undertaken since joining the Microsoft family in 2018. The project has always stayed firm on a release window of 2024, which initially drew skepticism due to the initial scale of the game intending to emulate the likes of The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.

Since then, however, Obsidian has been transparent about the reality of Avowed's scale, as the title is aiming to be a smaller-scale experience in-line with other Obsidian projects, with Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds being great examples of the success this formula can bring. A reduced size for Avowed makes it all the more likely that the game will hopefully meet its 2024 release window, which is good news considering just how detrimental any delays could be for the title.

Avowed Would Have to Contend With Some Massive Releases in 2025

Avowed is currently slated to release in the third or fourth quarter of 2024, meaning any delays would likely push the title back to a 2025 launch. Of course, the gaming industry is set to be dominated by the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2025, which is quickly gearing up to be one of the most anticipated releases of all time. Away from this, other massive titles like Monster Hunter Wilds are set for 2025 releases, and Avowed would do well to avoid encroaching on these projects.

A 2025 release also runs the risk of Avowed launching too closely to other fantasy RPG projects, with Dragon Age: Dreadwolf potentially releasing next year. Even the unofficial fan-made project Skyblivion could step on Avowed's toes in 2025, with this and Dreadwolf giving fans a huge dose of fantasy RPG content that may reduce the impact that Avowed would otherwise have with a 2024 release.

While some theories point toward Dragon Age: Dreadwolf releasing in 2025, the game has not yet revealed an official release window.

A lot of Avowed's hype stems from the lack of fresh RPG experiences that the industry has seen recently, especially from The Elder Scrolls, so releasing too close to Skyblivion could see the game lose a lot of potential players, at least closer to launch. When considering the additional presence of Grand Theft Auto 6 and Monster Hunter Wilds in 2025, Avowed sticking to its 2024 release window may be one of the most important elements of a successful debut.