Summary

  • Avowed won't have New Game Plus but may offer post-launch DLC for additional content.
  • Obsidian Entertainment is returning to its RPG roots with Avowed, set in Pillars of Eternity's world.
  • The exclusion of New Game Plus follows in the steps of Obsidian's other recent RPG game, The Outer Worlds.

Avowed game director Carrie Patel reveals that there won't be a New Game Plus option for players, while also leaving the door open for possible post-launch DLC. Following its acquisition by Microsoft, Obsidian Entertainment has been fairly active, releasing new experiences like Grounded, Pentiment, and the sci-fi RPG shooter, The Outer Worlds. Later this month, Avowed is looking to bring the company back to its RPG roots.

Set within Obsidian's fictional world of Eora from the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a semi-open world RPG that lets players build their character how they want as they impact the story. Through dialogue and narrative choices, players can impact their story as they complete quests and level up to become stronger. While Avowed is set to feature plenty of typical RPG-style game features, Obsidian is setting expectations about one setting that won't be making the cut.

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In a recent interview, Avowed game director Carrie Patel confirmed that there won't be a New Game Plus option when the game launches. Instead, players will need to start a new game with a new character to experience the story in a different way. However, Obsidian appears to be open to DLC, as Patel answered "maybe" when asked about potential post-launch content. Considering Avowed comes from the Pillars of Eternity universe, there's certainly no shortage of content to draw from.

Avowed Continues Obsidian's Recent No New Game Plus Trend

While the exclusion of No Game Plus will likely be disappointing, especially for those who want to take their character and play through the game in a different way, the news shouldn't be too surprising. Obsidian's The Outer Worlds also lacked New Game Plus, though it did release a handful of DLC expansions with added features. In fact, the game's popularity led to Obsidian releasing a new version of The Outer Worlds which had a level cap boost, alleviating one of the bigger issues that players had with the launch version.

In fact, New Game Plus isn't always a guarantee, even with some of the biggest AAA releases in the industry. One of the higher profile exclusions came with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which also launched without an option to jump back in after the credits rolled. However, Insomniac was eventually able to add NG+ for Spider-Man 2, even if it took slightly longer than fans would have liked. It's possible Avowed could follow a similar path, especially since the studio isn't opposed to potentially adding DLC, especially if there is enough of a demand for it.

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7 /10

Avowed
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Action RPG
Adventure
RPG
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Systems
Xbox-1 PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
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Released
February 18, 2025
ESRB
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Xbox Game Studios
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
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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?

Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Franchise
Pillars of Eternity
Number of Players
1
Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown
PC Release Date
February 18, 2025
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
February 18, 2025
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Adventure, RPG
X|S Optimized
Yes