Avowed is a game that will likely take inspiration from many places. These sources could include some of the all-time greats like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, The Witcher 3, and more. However, one of the most likely places the developer will take inspiration from may be from itself.
Obsidian Entertainment doesn't develop first-person games all that often, leaning toward the isometric genre instead. The Outer Worlds was only its second major foray into the first-person open world RPG genre, with its previous work coming in the form of the beloved Fallout: New Vegas. For that reason, it's all the more likely that some of The Outer Worlds' DNA will appear in Avowed.
The Outer Worlds' Influence on Avowed
An apt comparison of how this could work is Bethesda Softworks' recent installments to The Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises. Despite being two different games with wildly different themes, the games share many similar traits. They employ similar weight management systems, the same engine, combat mechanics, and much more. Avowed and The Outer Worlds could mimic this relationship, especially in regard to using similar engines. With Obsidian Entertainment also having limited experience in first-person games, it is very likely that the experience that went into creating The Outer Worlds will be utilized in the creation of Avowed. After all, Avowed learning from other games only makes sense.
One of the ways Avowed could take after The Outer Worlds would be in one of its most beloved features: the companion system. The companions of The Outer Worlds were widely acclaimed not only for their variety, but also for the depth of their personal storylines. Seeing the positive reception to this, Obsidian Entertainment may very well employ this mechanics once again in Avowed, possibly to a much greater degree. After all, Avowed having companions would be a logical progression considering the fact it shares a universe with Pillars of Eternity, a franchise known for allowing the player to create an entire team of companions.
Players could also see the return of quests with multiple endings. The Outer Worlds was fraught with character choice in terms of how they could approach many quests. This allowed the player to fully realize what kind of person they wanted their character to be, creating a more immersive experience. Considering Avowed's description of being a "role-playing game," it will likely continue this trend. Avowed can go above and beyond previous games in this regard, allowing these choices to have a greater impact on the game as a whole. For example, these choices could alter the exact ending the player receives when they beat the game.
Many might see the use of The Outer Worlds' DNA as somewhat of an issue for Avowed, likely due to the fact they are vastly different games. Overall, though, this would likely provide the game with more pros than it does cons. The Outer Worlds' formula was a successful one after all, so recreating specific aspects of it may allow Avowed a greater degree of success. Avowed having the DNA of another great game may go a long way in influencing its success, and given that the two titles share a developer, it makes sense for The Outer Worlds to be a major influence on Avowed.
Avowed's release date is still unknown, and the game is likely a long ways away, which means fans only have scraps to work with in terms of details. The game could even end up being entirely different from what players currently expect, but hopefully Obsidian Entertainment looks to its past successes in the genre in order to create a game that captures the hearts of players.
Avowed is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.