Summary
- Avowed, a highly anticipated RPG by Obsidian Entertainment, saw its release date pushed to Feb 18, 2025.
- The delay was prompted by a packed 2024 release calendar, avoiding competition with other major Microsoft titles.
- Microsoft remains confident in Avowed's success, citing the delay as a strategic move rather than a technical issue.
Microsoft had some disappointing news for fans looking forward to the release of the first-person RPG Avowed, in the form of a release date adjustment. The news comes ahead of a planned livestream event for Avowed that would have revealed new footage and details from the Obsidian Entertainment-developed title.
Avowed has captured attention and anticipation from RPG fans since its announcement in 2020, owing partly to the fact that it's a new game from renowed developer Obsidian Entertainment, creators of Fallout New Vegas and the popular Pillars of Eternity titles. Though Avowed shares its setting with Pillars of Eternity and its sequel, Deadfire, Avowed takes place in an entirely different area of the world: The Living Lands. Similarly, the story of Avowed is not directly connected to the Pillars games, allowing new fans to jump straight in without necessarily having to play the previous titles. That might be a blessing, too, as Avowed is a first-person RPG, and plays in a distinctly different way from the isometric style of the original Pillars of Eternity games.
Avowed's Release Strategy May Help it Get the Lion's Share
Avowed is currently planned for a Fall 2024 release, but pushing the game into next year could come with some possible benefits.
That said, some fans waiting for Avowed may have some extra time to dig into Pillars of Eternity, based on Microsoft's latest announcement. According to a post on official Xbox social media and press channels, Avowed will miss its original Fall 2024 release window. Its release has been pushed into early 2025, with Microsoft confirming a date of February 18, 2025.
Avowed Delayed From Fall 2024 to February 2025
The new release date confirms that earlier rumors about a potential 2025 delay for Avowed were true. Microsoft was fairly open about the reasoning for the move, citing the crowded 2024 release calendar as a major motivator. Had Avowed stuck with its original Fall 2024 release window, the game would've ended up competing with multiple major Microsoft-published titles, including Age of Mythology, ARA: History Untold, the Vessel of Hatred expansion for Diablo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and the likely release windows of an Indiana Jones game and the Starfield Shattered Space DLC. It was looking increasingly unlikely that Avowed would get the space it needs to make a strong impression on players with so much competition on the field.
Though Avowed is delayed, Microsoft expressed confidence in the game, and emphasized that the game's delay is due more to the release calendar than some technical or developmental problems. The company even cheekily referenced "giving players' backlogs some breathing room" when it announced the change. Players will still be able to see more of Avowed during a livestream reveal set for August 23, 2024.
While the delay of Avowed might sting for players specifically holding out for the game, the move makes sense from Microsoft's perspective. With so many other releases in the same window, too much competition would've stifled Avowed's potential success. Further, Avowed showing up early in 2025 on Game Pass will give players value to allay concerns about recent Game Pass price hikes.
Avowed
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- February 18, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands - an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
- Franchise
- Pillars of Eternity
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
