Summary
- Obsidian Entertainment is adding a turn-based combat mode to Pillars of Eternity after 10 years.
- The decision to introduce this feature in Pillars of Eternity raises speculation about Obsidian's future plans for CRPGs.
- Avowed's success and statements by game director Carrie Patel could suggest that Obsidian is considering expanding the Pillars of Eternity franchise further or looking to produce new IPs with turn-based combat.
Obsidian Entertainment's 2015 CRPG, Pillars of Eternity, was the start of a fresh franchise for the developer at a time when it was experiencing a rough period and was nearly forced to shut down entirely a few years prior. But it forged ahead with Pillars of Eternity, opening a Kickstarter campaign for it that, at the time, became the fastest and highest-grossing game project on the platform. The title went on to see good success, receiving a sequel in 2018, and set the stage for the studio's most recent release based on the world of Eora introduced in PoE, Avowed.
In a somewhat unexpected turn, Obsidian recently announced that it will be adding a turn-based combat mode to Pillars of Eternity later this year. This is welcome news to those fans who enjoyed the game but wished that it had this option from the beginning. And this decision, along with a statement in an interview made by Avowed's game director, Carrie Patel, that, "The idea of something new is appealing" after its launch, could indicate that Obsidian may very well be thinking about creating another CRPG that will feature it as a core mechanic.
It should be kept in mind, however, that Obsidian has not officially announced any plans for such a game.
10 Years Ago, Pillars of Eternity Began a New Era for Obsidian Entertainment
A decade ago, Pillars of Eternity helped set Obsidian Entertainment down the path to rescuing and revitalizing the studio.
Pillars of Eternity's Upcoming Turn-Based Combat Mode Hopefully Means Obsidian is Cooking Up Something New
Turn-Based Combat Coming to Pillars of Eternity After Ten Years Seems to Suggest More Than Meets the Eye
Obsidian has a storied history of working on quality CRPGs, and for Pillars of Eternity it channeled its expertise to deliver a satisfying entry for modern audiences. And though it contained many of the recognizable hallmarks of the genre, one longstanding design it sidestepped was a fully turn-based combat system. Instead, both the first title and Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire utilized real-time with pause, which still worked perfectly well, but left those players who preferred the turn-based approach lacking the option. While Pillars of Eternity saw a number of smaller updates and patches since its release, Obsidian bringing turn-based combat to it now might imply bigger things are in the works.
Why Obsidian Adding Turn-Based Combat to Pillars of Eternity Could Be Just a Glimpse of Things to Come
It's a bit out of the ordinary for a developer to introduce such a major feature so long after launch, especially since Pillars of Eternity isn't a live-service or similar ongoing game. And though this remains speculation for now, the fact that it is doing so could mean it has been toying with the idea of diving back into CRPGs in the near future. Obsidian has outlined some big ambitions to continue being successful, and perhaps this is just one way that it is paving the road to doing so.
Avowed saw solid sales, and in the same interview mentioned above, Patel also noted, "Now that we’ve built this wonderful world... I’d love to see us do more with it." That could mean Obsidian is considering looking towards another entry in the Pillars of Eternity franchise that is more like the previous two, expanding the setting further but returning to the CPRG design that formed its basis before Avowed.
The studio is also set to release The Outer Worlds 2 later this year, and after back-to-back FPS RPG experiences, a potential genre switch could keep its streak going while offering a different take. In a possible sort of reverse situation, it might even try a spin-off with a CRPG based on The Outer Worlds to keep things fresh and, at the same time, capitalize on its popularity. Other potentialities include a sequel or follow-up to its 2016 CRPG, Tyranny, or even an entirely new IP built around turn-based combat. In any case, the upcoming update for PoE is hopefully indicative of Obsidian's plans for a project of this nature.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- March 26, 2015
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Paradox Interactive, Versus Evil
- Engine
- Unity
- Franchise
- Pillars of Eternity
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
