Back in July 2020, Obsidian Entertainment gave an exciting first look at its upcoming RPG, Avowed. Not only did it give off major Skyrim vibes, but it's set in Eora—the Pillars of Eternity universe. Fans have been eager to learn more about it for quite some time, as well as more about Obsidian's other in-development games: The Outer Worlds 2 and Project Pentinment. Many fans were hoping for a little something at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, and it seems Microsoft and Obsidian have delivered--but not Avowed.
During the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, the companies unveiled that Grounded was leaving Early Access in September and showcased the Disco Elysium-like Pentinment (from New Vegas' Josh Sawyer), but unfortunately, Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 were nowhere to be seen. That's not to say fans were disappointed with the show, as it was definitely one of the best in other years, but it wasn't Avowed's time. The main reason it probably wasn't there is also pretty clear.
It Wasn't Avowed's Time
Early on in the showcase, it was confirmed that Microsoft would focus on games releasing over the next 12 months. Discounting potential delays, it stands to reason that a couple of games would be an exception to this rule, with Hideo Kojima's Xbox Cloud game and potentially Hollow Knight: Silksong being those said exceptions, but it clearly defined that faraway games like The Elder Scrolls 6, Fable, and even Avowed would not be there.
That's not to say that Avowed or Fable are as far away as The Elder Scrolls 6, but none of them are releasing in the next 12 months. This could mean that Avowed is a fall 2023 game or later, but it's a nice way to manage expectations.
Avowed was already an exciting prospect before the show, and it's still that way. Xbox really showed up to prove it was packing some great games for fans over the next 12 months. It was a stellar showcase with a ton of variety, and while Avowed would have certainly been welcomed, Xbox can't just rely on a handful of titles like the aforementioned RPGs. It showed the full force of its capabilities with its current Xbox Game Studios, with the Bethesda studios up under it, and even a little glimpse into the Xbox future of Activision-Blizzard with Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4.
Avowed wasn't at this showcase, but it will be one at one day. It simply wasn't the time for it, and it's a good thing that the higher-ups at Microsoft saw this. Phil Spencer said it was a gameplay showcase, and indeed it was.
Avowed is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.