Despite Being Envisioned as a Destiny X Skyrim Hybrid, Obsidian Ditched the Multiplayer Content to Give Avowed Its Own Identity

The newly launched game by Obsidian, titled “Avowed“, helmed by Carrie Patel, has been receiving exceptional feedback from gamers worldwide. Currently, it’s thriving in the market, contrasting the turmoil that occurred during its development phase.

For quite some time, the project known as “Avowed” had been in development. It wasn’t until 2020 that it was finally unveiled, a few years following Microsoft’s acquisition of Obsidian Entertainment. This announcement served as a countdown for the director and her team, who found themselves in a rush to complete their work before the deadline.

Avowed went through a metamorphosis during the early days of production

Originally, Avowed was designed to be a blend of Destiny and Skyrim, with numerous exciting multiplayer features. However, after several years into production, the CEO of Obsidian, Feargus Urquhart, realized this approach was a misstep, leading the team to ultimately focus on creating a story-centric, single-player game instead.

Obsidian Entertainment is renowned for crafting exceptional single-player role-playing games, like “Fallout: New Vegas” and “Pillars of Eternity”. Following suit, they’ve chosen to develop their upcoming title, “Avowed“, under the guidance of Carrie Patel, who is assuming the directorial role for a large game for the first time.

Following the game’s announcement in 2020, we dived into its development, stripping out the multiplayer mode initially. However, the project faced numerous hurdles, leading our team to make a tough decision – a change in the upper echelons of leadership. This shift triggered a third vertical slice, meaning most of us were back to the drawing board, reworking our progress despite an already large workforce. This period was one of the toughest challenges I’ve faced as director. Looking back, I can’t help but reflect on those tough times. (As reported by Bloomberg)

Typically, when you’re reassessing your creative path, creating a fresh concept demo (vertical slice) and adjusting your project timeline (production plans), it’s usually done with a compact team. However, in our case, we didn’t have a small team at that specific moment.

The experience was like laying tracks as a train was already rolling; it had intense peaks and valleys, with victories feeling incredibly sweet and defeats bitter. However, after the game ended, the entire team celebrated the positive feedback. Transforming it into a solo player game turned out to be beneficial in the end.

Ditching multiplayer did work in the game’s favor

Through various transitions and modifications during development, Avowed established its unique character. Looking back, the struggles and effort were indeed valuable, as they made the end result seem worthwhile. By abandoning features similar to those in games like Skyrim and Destiny, Avowed managed to forge its own distinct path.

Abandoning multiplayer gameplay allowed the team at Obsidian Entertainment to concentrate on their forte, which is crafting immersive, story-centric single-player role-playing games (RPGs). This decision provided them with the freedom to develop compelling characters, improve storytelling, and construct a intricately detailed game world.

2025-02-22 14:53

Avowed went through a metamorphosis during the early days of production

Ditching multiplayer did work in the game’s favor

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