The season of big gaming announcements is right around the corner, and Microsoft is set to share updates on its latest projects at the Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct on June 11. After the disappointing launch of Redfall, Xbox players will be looking to see what's in store for the console in the year ahead, including Bethesda's highly-anticipated sci-fi RPG Starfield. While it's unlikely that Hollow Knight: Silksong will make an appearance after the recent announcement of its delay, one game that could be primed to take the spotlight is Obsidian's fantasy RPG Avowed.
First announced back in 2020, Avowed is the latest title from the acclaimed developer of the Pillars of Eternity franchise of fantasy RPGs, which takes place in the same universe but drops the top-down perspective in favor of a first-person view. Details about the game have been sparse since its initial reveal trailers, but Obsidian's history of creating narrative masterpieces has many fans eagerly awaiting Avowed's release. If recent rumors are to be believed, Avowed is likely to show up at Xbox's upcoming showcase, which makes a lot of sense given the current state of AAA fantasy RPGs.
An Upcoming Avowed Trailer Could Beat Other In-Development Fantasy RPGs to the Punch
Although many see Starfield as the next big opportunity for Xbox to wow players with AAA RPGs, Avowed is in a unique position where it could capitalize on the limited fantasy RPGs currently available. Titles like The Witcher 4, The Elder Scrolls 6, and the next entry in the Fable series are all massive games that Avowed would have to contend with. However, most of those games are likely still several years away from release, meaning Avowed can fill the void in the meantime if Microsoft and Obsidian get its launch timing right.
With Starfield set to release in September, Bethesda's next project is confirmed to be The Elder Scrolls 6, but it is likely still in pre-production. CD Projekt Red also confirmed recently that The Witcher 4 is at least 3 years away from release, and Fable was teased back in 2020 but has been radio-silent since. The status of these games puts Avowed in a great position for success as it would be a huge fantasy RPG coming at a time between the development cycles of other popular RPG franchises.
The latest rumors suggest that Avowed is targeted for a release window of Q2 of 2024, which would likely allow the game to beat its competitors to the punch. If this is the intended launch window for Obsidian's RPG, then it would make a lot of sense for the developer to show gameplay footage for Avowed at this year's Xbox Games Showcase and reignite hype for the game ahead of its marketing cycle.
Barring any delays, giving the game about a year's worth of time to build hype with gameplay trailers and other marketing would be in Avowed's best interest, and kicking the hype train off at Xbox's upcoming showcase would be the best time to do so. Xbox could gain a major advantage in the console market with Avowed releasing sooner rather than later since it would give fans of fantasy RPGs a reason to check out the console-exclusive game in the interim while other big-budget titles in the genre remain in development.
Although the company has a string of big-name fantasy titles in development, Avowed is the title that carries the least named recognition among its competitors, so releasing it before the others would give it the best chance at success. With Xbox in need of a win after the disappointment of exclusives like Redfall and Halo Infinite, Avowed could end up being the company's saving grace.
Avowed is currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.