Avowed release date, platforms, gameplay & story

From the makers of Fallout: New Vegas and Grounded, Avowed is a fantasy RPG rich in Obsidian Entertainment’s signature blend of organic exploration and difficult decision-making.

So, here’s everything that has been confirmed so far about Avowed, including its release date, platforms, gameplay details, and more.

Avowed release date

Avowed will be released on February 18, 2025. The title was previously slated for a 2024 release, but it has been pushed back to avoid any clashes with other first-party titles.

So many games coming! As such, we're moving Avowed to Feb 18, 2025 to give players’ backlogs some breathing room.

Stay tuned for more from our games across Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda & Xbox Game Studios at gamescom, including our Aug 23 livestream for a look at Avowed:… pic.twitter.com/3RnyVwlHRa

— Xbox (@Xbox) August 2, 2024

The fantasy RPG was originally revealed in July 2020 during that year’s Xbox Game Showcase. Despite spending several years in development, Avowed got a huge change of direction, especially in terms of tone if you compare the recent footage to the initial reveal trailer.

Avowed platforms

Avowed will be released as an Xbox console exclusive, meaning it will only be available on PC and Xbox Series X|S. There is no news yet about a potential PlayStation or Switch port.

Story

Avowed introduces players to the heart of the Living Lands, a mysterious region from the world of Eora, first introduced in the Pillars of Eternity franchise. You’re tasked with exploring this land as envoys of the Emperor of Aedyr, who is concerned about the rapidly spreading soul plague known as Dream Scourge.

The Living Lands have been described as a “wild frontier,” so expect to run into all manner of dangerous creatures, including those who’ve been corrupted by the plague. While your primary goal is to discover the root of the problem, you’ll run into conflicting accounts regarding what’s happening throughout your journey.

An example of this is Inquisitor Lodwyn, who believes that the Dream Scourge is essentially the product of all the chaos and disunity at the heart of the Living Lands. In contrast, Giatta, one of Avowed’s companions, believes that the aforementioned chaos is what makes these lands special, and attempting to tame it will be detrimental to the region.

This immediately sets up a choice for players to make, and navigating through these decisions is an important aspect of the RPG.

Gameplay

Avowed is primarily a zone-based open-world RPG that can be played in first or third-person. The game features extensive dialogue trees, melee combat, spell casting, a variety of companions, and more. Being an Obsidian title, the game also has organic exploration, allowing players to find new locations, interact with NPCs, and run into side quests.

The Living Lands is made up of vibrant locales. Expect to find strange vegetation, like overgrown mushrooms, and plenty of picturesque sights that come to life as part of the game’s day-and-night cycle.

As for combat, you’ll have plenty of melee weapons to pick from including swords and axes. The game also features bows so you’ll able to whip up archer builds. The most intriguing part of Avowed’s combat system is undoubtedly the spell casting.

You’ll find all sorts of magic tricks to add to your arsenal, all equipped with some stylish animations. This includes fire and ice-based abilities, and even a bit of gravitational or arcane magic. The combat is designed to be flexible, allowing you to quickly swap from spellcasting and sharpshooting, to melee combat.

Another core feature of the game is your companions. We already know about a few of them, including Giatta, Yatzli, and Kai. You’ll be able to have varied interactions with them and can advance their affinity through dialogue options.

All your companions will converge at a space known as Party Camp. This cozy location acts as your “narrative and upgrade hub.” Here, you can learn even more about your companions and eavesdrop while they interact with each other. More importantly, you can also upgrade your weapons at camp using the resources you’ve gathered along your travels.

Speaking of upgrades, your character’s abilities and attributes can also be buffed. The game has six attributes including Might, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Intellect, and Resolve. Depending on the points you’ve slotted in each attribute, you’ll be able to pass dialogue checks.

All Avowed trailers so far

Avowed was revealed for the first time in 2020, and it has received multiple trailers since, Check out all the trailers released so far:

Avowed- Official Announce Trailer

Avowed- Official Gameplay Trailer

Avowed- Xbox Developer Direct

Avowed Story Trailer – Xbox Games Showcase 2024

That was everything to know about Avowed, the latest RPG from Obsidian. The game looks primed to be a big release for Xbox, alongside Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl.