Games

Avowed Has An Ace Up its Sleeve to Stand Out in a Crowded Launch Window

Published

2 months ago

October 12, 2024

Avowed is the first AAA release from famed developer Obsidian Entertainment, following its acquisition by Microsoft in 2018. This game is set in the world of Pillars of Eternity, the franchise kickstarted by the acclaimed 2015 CRPG of the same name. However, unlike PoE, Avowed employs a primarily first-person perspective in gameplay instead of an isometric one, making it more reminiscent of titles like The Outer Worlds and Fallout: New Vegas. The upcoming game was initially slated to launch sometime in 2024, but following a recent delay, it will now release on Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC on February 18, 2025. As such, the title will be one of Microsoft’s biggest exclusives in the coming months.

Unfortunately, Avowed‘s delay to 2025 places it in a rather precarious situation. February is going to be a stacked month for video game releases, so when Obsidian’s upcoming RPG does come out, it’s going to face a lot of competition from the likes of Capcom, Sega, Take-Two, and Ubisoft. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Civilization 7, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Monster Hunter Wilds are some of the biggest releases slated for 2025 and, surprisingly, they’re all scheduled to make their debuts in February. There’s no doubt that Avowed will have to fight to garner the attention of gamers when it is released next year, but the game does have one major advantage over the other titles launching in February that may give it a competitive edge.

How Avowed’s Character Background Compare to Pillars of Eternity’s

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With the protagonist of Avowed being tied to a specific role within the world of Eora, the game’s set of backgrounds have been affected accordingly.

Avowed’s Xbox Game Pass Launch Could Give It a Competitive Edge Over Other February 2025 Titles

Avowed Will Be on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on Day-One

Out of all the AAA games that are planned for release in the first quarter of 2025, Avowed is one of the few titles that will receive a simultaneous launch on Xbox Game Pass. Like all of Microsoft’s first-party releases, Obsidian’s next big RPG will be available to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers on day-one at no extra cost. This means that, instead of paying full price to buy the game outright, Xbox and PC players will be able to experience what Avowed has to offer for only $20 via GP Ultimate, if they’re able to complete it in a single month. PC Game Pass members, meanwhile, will have the option to play through the title for as low as $12 a month, which is a big deal in today’s day and age.

Unlike Most AAA Games, Avowed’s Barrier to Entry Will Be Low

Most major releases nowadays, including games like Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, cost upwards of $70. This daunting price tag may be a tough pill to swallow for financially-conscious gamers, because many of them likely can’t justify spending $70 on more than 3 to 4 AAA titles in the same month. This is why Avowed‘s availability on Xbox Game Pass is significant, as it makes the upcoming RPG more accessible to a wider audience of people than the other AAA games launching in February, none of which are coming to a subscription service on day-one.

Avowed’s Exclusivity Does Hinder Its Accessibility, But It May Come to Other Platforms At Some Point

While Avowed‘s barrier to entry is fairly low, the one thing hindering its overall accessibility compared to the aforementioned titles like MH Wilds and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is its exclusivity to Xbox consoles and PCs. Most of the games announced for February 2025 so far are multiplatform and are therefore receiving a day-one release on PlayStation 5 and/or Nintendo Switch. Because of this, the Obsidian-developed RPG may not have the reach of those titles in this regard.

Even still, it is entirely possible that the game could come to other platforms down the line. After all, several Microsoft-published titles have been ported to rival consoles in recent months, including Obsidian’s own Pentiment and Grounded. However, if Avowed does come to PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2, it likely won’t be available on a subscription service on those platforms, so the upfront cost for the game will be the same as with any other AAA title.

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?

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