Obsidian Entertainment may have shocked its biggest fans when it had not one, not two, but three projects at the Xbox Series X showcase. Proving it is a powerhouse for Microsoft, Obsidian revealed upcoming DLC for the Outer Worlds, a new launch trailer for Grounded, and its next big Obsidian RPG, Avowed. However, one look at Avowed practically echoes The Elder Scrolls, and given Obsidian and Bethesda's history, this is not surprising.
Many may know Obsidian for its work on Fallout New Vegas, Knights of the Old Republic 2, and The Outer Worlds, but its history goes much deeper than that. Obsidian's strength also falls in the same area as Bethesda, but the relationship between the two eventually went south. This has turned into a rivalry of sorts if only in the eyes of fans, as many see The Outer Worlds as a response to Bethesda's Fallout, and now it seems Avowed is just that to The Elder Scrolls 6. Of course, this begs the question: when Obsidian and Bethesda go head to head, who wins? (besides fans of RPGs)
Avowed vs. The Elder Scrolls 6 Location
There's not much to go on for either game, but there is context. For example, while the exact setting of The Elder Scrolls 6 remains to be revealed, it will be taking place in the world of Tamriel. This means players can expect to see races like Khajit, Orcs, Bretons, and more intermingling throughout the world. Certain factions like the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood can be expected to some degree, while mysteries of the Dwemer likely stay afloat. There's so much to Tamriel that at least a sampling of its finest can be expected within the Elder Scrolls 6's location, and at first glance, this puts it over Avowed.
However, it has been confirmed that Avowed is not a brand new setting, starting from scratch. It's actually taking place in Eora, the setting of the Pillars of Eternity, but in an entirely new way. Eora may not have the name recognition of Tamriel, but it does mean Obsidian is building on a fantasy world that is already established. It could still go in any number of ways, but Humans, Aumaua, Dwarves, Elves, Orlans, and Godlikes are races that will likely populate the world (and be playable?). The Old Empires seem prominent given Avowed's trailer, but there's plenty more countries to explore as well. Basically, The Elder Scrolls 6 has a more well-known location, but both settings are pretty similar in terms of world-building.
Avowed vs. The Elder Scrolls 6 Release Date
One big question that should be addressed is simple: which will be played first? One common determiner when it comes to a fan-favorite video game, especially those that are similar, is which was played first. Many who played Fallout 3 first will argue that it's better than Fallout New Vegas, while many who played the latter first will argue that it's better than Fallout 3. There's a lot of psychology behind that, and it's not a blanket statement—it's not true of everyone. But when it comes to Avowed and The Elder Scrolls 6, there may be a lasting impression if one of them manages to get out there and truly impress first.
In this case, as strange as it seems, Avowed may very well be the first to launch. The Elder Scrolls 6 was first announced 2 years ago, but it was in the absolute earliest stages of development. It's not releasing until well after Starfield, which itself still does not have a release date. Many expect that it won't actually launch until 2024-2025, which are good conservative predictions, and it wouldn't have likely been announced at all if it weren't meant to offset the reaction to Fallout 76. Many games are not announced 7 years ahead of time, which is a point for Avowed.
Now, Avowed is probably a good couple of years out. Obsidian Entertainment still has one more DLC in the works for The Outer Worlds after the Peril on Gorgon releases, and the launch of Grounded to facilitate. However, it seems likely that both of those will reduce over the next few months, maybe even a year, to where small crews are working on those while Avowed becomes Obsidian's focus. In other words, it seems to be aiming for a release date a lot sooner than The Elder Scrolls 6.
To top it off, there's availability to consider. While anyone and everyone will likely purchase The Elder Scrolls 6 day one, Avowed will be available on Xbox Game Pass. That means more are likely to try it out, especially if it can truly deliver an Elder Scrolls-like experience on the subscription platform.
Avowed is Obsidian's Answer to The Elder Scrolls
In all the context that can be considered, the biggest is that Obsidian is likely shooting for the stars. It is known for RPGs, this is its forte, and now it has the backing to live up to its full potential. Obsidian is the hungry upstart and the underdog, and Bethesda is the big name fallen on hard times. The launch of Fallout 76 soured much of the fanbase and especially those who invested in the game, Rage 2 failed to make an impression, and even Doom Eternal—the best game its launched in recent memory—wasn't without the controversy of its anti-cheat software.
Bethesda has name recognition that will go a long way in determining how good The Elder Scrolls 6 actually performs and how well it is received, but Obsidian Entertainment isn't that far behind. It's hard to say which will be better, Avowed or TES 6, but there's one thing for sure: Obsidian is catching up in this race, and it may only take one slip-up to set up Avowed as the next Skyrim.
Avowed is in development for PC and Xbox Series X. The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.