Avowed's Journey: From 2020 Announcement to Anticipated 2023 Release

I remember the excitement when Avowed was first unveiled at the Xbox Showcase in 2020. As a fan of fantasy RPGs, seeing Obsidian Entertainment take on a first-person fantasy adventure in the style of The Elder Scrolls was thrilling. The initial trailer promised a rich world, but since then, the flow of information has slowed to a trickle. Many of us hoped for news at E3 2021, but instead, Obsidian surprised everyone with an early, self-aware trailer for The Outer Worlds 2. This left the community wondering: when will we see Avowed again?

The decision to focus on The Outer Worlds 2 at E3 was puzzling to many. That trailer itself joked about being early in development. Meanwhile, evidence surfaced suggesting Avowed's development might actually be further along than we thought. This contrast created a fascinating mystery about the studio's priorities and timelines.

Looking at the calendar, there are several events where we could potentially get an update. Gamescom 2021 was the first major possibility. Obsidian, being part of Microsoft, often has a presence there. Last year, they used the platform to show gameplay for The Outer Worlds' DLC. Some speculated that a planned E3 update for Avowed might have been moved to Gamescom, possibly to accommodate Bethesda's larger role in Xbox showcases post-acquisition. However, that window came and went without the news we craved.

The next logical hope was The Game Awards 2021. Microsoft has a history of making big announcements there, like revealing the Xbox Series X/S in 2019. It seemed like the perfect venue if Obsidian was ready to share more. The event is a global stage, ideal for building hype. Yet, once again, Avowed remained in the shadows. This pattern of silence has been a tough lesson in patience for the RPG community.

The long, quiet development of The Elder Scrolls 6 has taught us not to expect news at every turn. Major RPGs are marathons, not sprints. It now seems increasingly likely that a substantial Avowed update was pushed to 2022 or beyond. Observing Bethesda's handling of Starfield—announced in 2018 but not shown again until 2021—provides a potential blueprint. This suggests Avowed might be targeting a release window around 2023, which would mean a major hype-building campaign sometime in 2022.

The industry has learned hard lessons about over-hyping games too early. The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 served as a stark warning about the dangers of building immense anticipation over nearly a decade. I believe developers like Obsidian watched that situation closely. It's likely they've adopted a more cautious approach, choosing to hold back major reveals until much closer to release—perhaps within a year of launch. This strategy minimizes prolonged hype cycles and allows for more accurate marketing based on a near-final product.

🔍 What We Know (and Don't Know):

• Announced: July 2020, Xbox Games Showcase.

• Developer: Obsidian Entertainment.

• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios.

• Platforms: PC and Xbox Series X/S (confirmed).

• Genre: First-person fantasy RPG.

• Setting: The world of Eora, from the Pillars of Eternity series.

• Latest Major Showcase: None since initial announcement.

This doesn't mean we should abandon all hope for news. Optimists among us continue to scour every interview and industry event for hints. The community remains active, dissecting old trailers and speculating about the game's scope, magic systems, and how it will differentiate itself in a post-Skyrim world. The connection to the rich lore of Pillars of Eternity is a huge point of excitement, promising a world with deep history and consequences.

As we look ahead, my expectation has shifted. I'm no longer waiting for news at every quarterly event. Instead, I'm settling in for the long haul, trusting that Obsidian is using this time to craft something special. When they are ready—when the game is polished and a firm release date is in sight—that's when we'll likely see the floodgates open. Until then, the mystery of Avowed continues to be part of its allure. The next true update will be worth the wait, whenever it arrives.