Avowed is set to launch later this year, and thankfully we do now know a fair bit about it now that Microsoft has pulled back the curtain a bit. Gameplay has been shown off, and we have a couple of trailers to pore over while we wait for Avowed to release.
From what we've seen so far, fans of Skyrim will be right at home with Avowed, given that it boasts a similar style of combat involving melee and magic attacks. There are guns too, and even companions to meet and take out on missions. All of this puts Avowed in a prime position to make an assault on the internet's best Xbox Series X games lists.
Here's what we know about Avowed so far, including whether it's coming to Xbox Game Pass. As more information is revealed on Avowed, this page will be updated. Hopefully, we hear more about this upcoming game sooner rather than later.
Avowed: cut to the chase
- What is it? A new first-person fantasy RPG from the makers of Fallout: New Vegas
- When does it come out? Autumn 2024
- What can I play it on? Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass
- Who is making it? Obsidian Entertainment
Avowed release window and platforms
Avowed will launch Autumn 2024 for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. Beyond this release window, a specific release date has not been given. We do know that Avowed is not planned for release on other consoles, likely due to Obsidian being a first-party Xbox studio.
Avowed story and setting
Avowed is a fantasy RPG. Set in Eora, the world of the Pillars of Eternity games, both games are developed by Obsidian but Avowed will take a first-person perspective, rather than POE's isometric perspective. So, the game will feel quite different from its predecessors. We expect fans of the POE games will be sure to recognize elements of the world. Pillars of Eternity largely focused on the nation of Dyrwood, though, which is slightly different to what's on show this time around.
What's also new here is that the POE games were very much PC-first experiences, even if both 2015's Pillars of Eternity and 2018's sequel Deadfire came to current-gen consoles a couple of years after their initial launch dates. Avowed being announced on an Xbox stream, for a launch across PC, Xbox, and Game Pass, confirms how different this is going to be. Expect a very controller-friendly RPG.
Based on its trailer, Avowed has drawn some comparisons with the Elder Scrolls series in terms of its appearance but Phil Spencer has said there are “distinct differences” between the games. When asked on an IGN podcast if Avowed will play an Elder Scrolls role for Xbox, given the The Elder Scrolls 6 is quite a while off yet, Spencer responded:
“I think the games are very different, so maybe I struggle a little bit to say that’s our version of this, just knowing what [Obsidian studio head Feargus Urquhart] and the team are going off to do. But when I think about our lineup, and I think about that more core fantasy RPG setting, I think Avowed is gonna be an awesome entrance there.”
Either way, we're excited to see what Obsidian brings to the table, even if it cleaves close to Skyrim in its combination of spell-aided combat and epic open-world quests.
Avowed gameplay
Thanks to the most recent Avowed trailer, we now have a pretty good idea as to what gameplay will be like once the game launches. Things look very similar to something like Skyrim in that it's a mix of spell-casting and melee combat. You can mix and match magic, swords and even pistols to dispatch your enemies, which range from skeleton armies to giant infected bears.
One thing we do know is that you will be able to recruit companions while playing Avowed. These will follow you on quests and into battle. It's unclear just how large the map is, but things do appear to be set up in a large open-world area. We'll need to hear more before we can say for sure.
What we would like to know more about are the RPG mechanics. It's currently unclear as to how much control players will have over things like character customization and skill trees. Given that this is being made by Obsidian however, expect a decent amount of options as far as building a character is concerned.
Avowed trailers
The most recent trailer we've seen for Avowed is from January 2024's Xbox Developer_Direct. In it, we got a look at combat, conversations and choices, the environments, as well as the story about stopping a mysterious plague. You can check it out in full below:
Before this trailer, we previously had a video from the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 event. It's a much more gameplay-focused affair and really helps set the tone for the game. Check it out below:
So far there have only been two trailers for Avowed. We advise fans to keep their eyes on the Xbox YouTube channel for any updates in the future.
Avowed latest news
Avowed gets an Autumn 2024 release window during Xbox Developer_Direct
Getting a prime time slow in the Developer_Direct show in January 2024, the team behind Avowed gave us insight into the world, story, combat and weapons, choices and conversations with NPCs, and more in an extensive look at the game. It was also revealed that the game will be releasing in Autumn of 2024.
Avowed shown off at Xbox Games Showcase 2023
After a couple of years of silence, Avowed was shown off once more at Xbox Games Showcase 2023. A new trailer gave us our best look at gameplay yet, and there were even companions and spell-casting to enjoy.
That's everything we know about Avowed so far. For a look at other first-party titles set to arrive on Xbox in the 2024, check out our New Xbox Series X games guide.
