Obsidian Entertainment is a developer that has made its name creating some of the finest RPGs known to gaming. Founded by refugees from legendary dev Black Isle Studios, Obsidian is who you can thank for Fallout: New Vegas, Alpha Protocol, Neverwinter Nights 2, Pillars of Eternity, Tyranny, The Outer Worlds, Grounded, and of course Pentiment. The next title coming from the team is Avowed, a huge first-person RPG set in the world of Pillars of Eternity – but you might have to wait a little longer to get your hands on it.
According to a report by The Verge, Microsoft is about to delay Avowed into 2025. Apparently, the RPG is nearly ready for launch and is on track, with the Avowed release date originally planned for later this year. However, it appears that the game was going to land in November of 2024 and Obsidian’s owner, Microsoft, has decided to clear its schedule as that month is already a pretty busy one for the company.
The issue, according to the report, is that Microsoft is concerned that with the delay of Stalker 2 to November, the holiday season is becoming a little too packed with its own big name games. As a result it’s decided to shift the game to a later date, pushing Avowed into 2025 to give it breathing room from the onslaught of upcoming titles.
What’s most unusual about this decision is that when a game is normally delayed, it’s to do extra work on the title or fix problems that have cropped up during testing periods. That doesn’t appear to be the case here. If the rumors prove true and Avowed is delayed, it’s simply for economic reasons and to ensure that it stands out, something it may not do if it goes head to head with everything launching later this year.
That said, while the game is reportedly in a good shape, the extra delay may only help it receive final layers of polish. Looking at the reaction from fans in the game’s subreddit, it seems that while most are disappointed with the delay, they do understand that it is better than rushing a game out and are prepared to live with the wait.
If you’re looking for something else to do in the meantime, you can take a look at our guide to the best story games you can play, as well as our picks for the future with our best upcoming games list.
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