The director of Avowed has hinted at exciting plans for the franchise following the game's successful launch. Delve into the potential for expansions or sequels, and discover other future projects from the studio.

Avowed Director Eager to Expand the Universe

Potential Expansions or Sequels on the Horizon

Avowed has achieved strong sales, pleasing both Microsoft and Obsidian. In a recent interview with Bloomberg on February 22, 2025, Avowed Game Director Carrie Patel discussed the possibility of expanding the game with DLC or even a sequel.

While Obsidian hasn't officially announced any plans yet, Patel is keen on continuing her work in game direction and is excited about the prospect of building upon the world they've created. She stated, "Now that we've built this wonderful world, and also built this team strength and muscle memory around the content and gameplay in this world, I'd love to see us do more with it."

Navigating Development Challenges

The journey to Avowed's release was fraught with challenges and significant changes. Patel described the development process as "messy," but ultimately successful.

The project kicked off in 2018 amidst Obsidian's considerations to sell the company, despite successes with titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity. The challenges of independence led to Microsoft's acquisition of Obsidian in 2020, followed by the announcement of Avowed. However, the team had to abandon several planned features, including multiplayer elements. A leadership change in January 2021 prompted a reboot of the game.

Under Patel's leadership, managing a team of over 80 people was a significant challenge. She explained, "Normally if you're stepping back and reevaluating your creative direction, putting together a new vertical slice and revised production plans, you would do that with a very small team." Patel's vision shifted the focus towards enriching the story and lore from the Pillars of Eternity franchise, and transitioning from an open world to open zones, which allowed for more detailed and immersive spaces.

Reflecting on the development process, Patel noted, "There's this interesting thing I've seen on every project I've worked on or seen during my time at the studio — things are messy, messy, messy, then they start coming together."

Obsidian's Ambition for Pillars of Eternity Tactics

With Avowed bringing the Pillars of Eternity franchise back into the spotlight, Obsidian is now eyeing a new project: Pillars of Eternity Tactics. During a Twitch Livestream on February 23, 2025, Josh Sawyer, the director of Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, shared the studio's interest in developing a tactics game for the franchise.

Sawyer mentioned, "Pillars: Tactics is a thing that a lot of people would like, a lot of people at the studio would like to work on; there are a lot of people who like tactics games." However, he also highlighted the challenges in defining the project's scope, including team size, visual quality, and overall scale. The interest in a tactics game has been noted before, and with Avowed's success, this idea might soon become a reality.

Despite this, Sawyer remains focused on his vision for Pillars of Eternity 3, aiming for a budget comparable to that of Baldur's Gate 3, which is significantly higher than what was allocated for Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire.

Avowed is now available for Xbox Series X|S and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on Avowed by checking out our article below!