Summary
Obsidian Entertainment’s forthcoming fantasy RPG,Avowed, is set to arrive this Fall. After working on more experimental titles like 2022’sPentiment,Avowedwill see the studio return to its more familiar forte of open-world FPS narrative-based experiences, this time in an original setting. InAvowed’s case, though, its world of Eora and surrounding lore is heavily based on the studio’s previous two CRPGs, 2015’sPillars of Eternityand its sequel,Pillars of Eternity: Deadfirefrom 2018.
Obsidian has been very clear thatAvowedfans won’t need prior knowledge ofPillars of Eternitygoing into it. And although that is a credit to the developer as it seems not to wish to overburden or overwhelm players with too much necessary pre-knowledge, the fact that it will still be drawing extensively from the existing aspects of its land of Eora and the intricate details and other foundational facets already in place, does create the possibility of adding a layer of risk to the approach. If not integrated in the right way,Avowedcould thus end up feeling much more disconnected fromPoEthan perhaps it otherwise would be, leaving fans wondering why it was attached to the previous IP in the first place.
On top of its other established elements,Avowedmay also be taking cues from FromSoftwarein certain design aspects.
Avowed’s Detached Relationship to Pillars of Eternity Could Create a Schism in the Two IPs
Avowed and Pillars of Eternity Are Inextricably Linked
Avowedwill be set in a region called the Living Lands, a previously unseen locale within Eora, although it has been briefly mentioned and referenced inPillars of Eternity. A much greater connection it will have toPoEis via the Aedyr Empire, which in internal lore is a cornerstone of much of Eora’s history and culture.Avowedwill have players embark as a character sent by the Empire to investigate a mysterious disease that seems to be impacting and altering in some strange way the local population of the Living Lands as well as the region’s natural stability. This thread already relies on some notable overall elements fromPoE, and gamers completely unfamiliar with any might have trouble digesting and understanding them all, even if the intention is to use them only as a broad framework.
Fans may also recall thatPillars of Eternity: Deadfireleft off on a climactic cliffhanger moment, with widespread implications for the very foundations and peoples of Eora as a whole. This also leads into the matter ofAvowed’s time frame in relation toPillars of Eternity’s. If it’s close to this event, it would then seem odd if it doesn’t tangentially connect to it or at least mention it in passing. But even then, due to the nature of the narrative setup, it should theoretically have a massive impact on the setting. If it’s set farther away in time, either in the past or future, that would giveAvowedmore space to explore while not being too attached to having to incorporate majorPoEaspects.
Why Avowed’s Distanced Stance Towards its Parent IP Could Cause Issues
It can often be a tricky task for a studio to delicately balance well-established and elaborate lore in a new title while simultaneously aiming to please audiences composed of both returning fans and newcomers, and not alienate either.Fans who have experiencedPillars of EternitybeforeAvowedmay be expecting it to address or be more directly related to some items seen inPoE. While againAvowedwill ostensibly not be gated by requiring any important knowledge fromPoE, it still could result in stranger and less desirable situations.
Obsidian must be cautious then that the way it’s decided to relate the two doesn’t end up producing a divide between them, and potentially make them feel distanced enough as to actually be entirely separate. One decision that may assist in mitigating this hypothetical rift is that Avowed is stated to be a smaller, more focused experience. Thus, it might be that this may not necessarily be as big of an issue as it could be. In fact, a possibly beneficial side effect of this angle could lead toAvowedreinvigorating or rebootingPillars of Eternityin the process, which would benefit both IPs. For now, gamers will need to wait a bit more untilAvowedreleases to see how it handles this component.
Avowed
WHERE TO PLAY
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?
