Avowed is an action role-playing game created by Obsidian Entertainment and released by Xbox Game Studios. The game takes place in the world of Eora, which is part of the same universe as Pillars of Eternity. It was made available for Windows and Xbox Series X/S consoles on February 18, 2025, and for PlayStation 5 on February 17, 2026. Critics gave the game mostly positive feedback, but it did not meet the sales goals set by Xbox Game Studios.

Gameplay

Avowed is an action role-playing game that can be played from both first-person and third-person viewpoints. Players can use magic, melee weapons, and firearms to defeat enemies. A wide variety of spells—such as those that freeze or trap enemies—can be used with physical attacks. For example, freezing an enemy may prepare it for a powerful melee strike. Players can choose from different combat setups, such as dual-wielding pistols or wands, using a two-handed axe, or combining a sword or gun with a shield. The game includes skill trees to unlock new abilities and allows players to upgrade individual weapons. Although it is not a fully open world game, Avowed features several large areas to explore.

As players explore the world, they interact with non-player characters (NPCs). Like in The Outer Worlds, dialogue choices let players shape their character's tone and affect how they interact with companions. Romance is not an option. Choices made during the game affect the story and how companions help in battles and quests.

Plot

Avowed takes place in the Living Lands, a varied area within the fantasy world of Eora. This region includes many different environments, such as thick forests, dry deserts, large caves, and wide valleys. Players take on the role of an envoy from the Aedyr Empire, who is sent to investigate a mysterious illness called the "Dream Scourge." The Envoy arrives in the port city of Paradis, where leaders from the Aedyran Empire argue with the island's native people. The Envoy works to resolve conflicts between rebel groups, the Empire, and the Steel Garrote, a strict religious group that wants to end the chaos in the Living Lands. The Envoy is killed by Paradis rebels and, after death, meets a mysterious god who brings them back to life in exchange for their help in destroying the Dream Scourge. After being revived, the Envoy can choose to support one of the groups fighting for control in Paradis or seek revenge to find the source of the Dream Scourge.

Next, the Envoy travels to the Emerald Stair, a nearby area known for growing most of the food in the Living Lands using a type of magic called Animancy, which involves controlling souls. Here, the Envoy meets many intelligent non-human species and discovers the first ruins of a lost civilization known as the "Godless" by colonial forces. The Envoy learns that the Godless called themselves the Ekida and had a connection to the mysterious god who helps the Envoy and may be linked to the Dream Scourge. This leads to conflicts with the Steel Garrote, who believe that all people in the region need strict rules. The Steel Garrote eventually attacks the city in Emerald Stair, and the Envoy must decide whether to support the attack or stop it, both choices leading to the city's evacuation.

At the same time, the Dream Scourge becomes more dangerous, so the Envoy goes to the desert colony of Shatterscarp to continue their investigation into the Ekida. There, they face conflicts between people who settled the area a century ago and forces from the Empire and the Steel Garrote. Many civilizations in the Living Lands are only a few hundred years old and do not know about the Ekida or their history, making it hard for the Envoy to learn the truth. The Envoy explores a major Ekida ruin and discovers that the mysterious god helping them is named Sapadal, who was cut off from the rest of the world after a disaster killed most of the Ekida. Sapadal is younger than other gods in Eora and shows strong emotions. The ruin is also a source of monsters caused by the Dream Scourge that harm nearby people, and the Envoy must decide whether to destroy the ancient structure or leave it, risking the lives of some people in Shatterscarp.

The last group the Envoy meets are the Pargrunen, strong mountain dwarves who are the oldest colony in the Living Lands. The Envoy helps settle a disagreement between the Pargrunen, some of whom want to stay isolated and others who want to open their doors to others. Further research into Ekida ruins shows that Sapadal's emotional nature caused many disasters that killed Ekida people, leading to the destruction of all Ekida in the Living Lands. The stress of these discoveries and growing conflicts in the region cause Sapadal to act violently, creating tremors and a volcanic eruption that endangers new inhabitants. After deciding the future of the Pargrunen's home, the Envoy tries to find Sapadal and stop the Dream Scourge, which has worsened with the region's instability. Woedica, the god of the Steel Garrote, tells the player to destroy Sapadal, claiming their emotions have caused many deaths. The player can choose to destroy Sapadal or free them. After this decision, the player joins the struggle for control of the Living Lands, choosing to support local groups, the Steel Garrote, or the Empire, with or without Sapadal's help.

Development

Obsidian Entertainment began working on Avowed in 2018 as an online multiplayer game. At that time, the company’s leaders were planning to sell the studio and presented Avowed—described as a mix of Destiny (2014) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)—to potential buyers. Microsoft’s Xbox division bought the studio in November 2018. By January 2020, the team removed the multiplayer features and focused on a single-player story-driven experience, led by Carrie Patel, who directed The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon. Obsidian and Xbox Game Studios introduced Avowed with a teaser trailer during a showcase in July 2020.

The game’s announcement surprised the 80-person development team, who had to restart work. Patel’s leadership caused two major changes: using the setting from the Pillars of Eternity franchise and replacing the open-world design with specific areas. The game was revealed again in 2023, with a planned release in 2024. This date was later moved to February 18, 2025. A premium edition was sold, allowing access starting February 13. A PlayStation 5 version of the game was released on February 17, 2026.

Reception

The game Avowed received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review website Metacritic. Additionally, 83% of critics recommended the game, as reported by OpenCritic.

Avowed was nominated for Best Role Playing Game at The Game Awards 2025 and for the Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game at the 15th New York Game Awards.

In February 2026, it was announced that Avowed did not meet the sales goals set by Xbox Game Studios.