Avowed's director hints at future plans for the franchise following the game's successful launch. Read on to discover the possibilities of expansions, sequels, and other exciting projects in the works.
Avowed's Director Looks to Expand Upon the World They Created
Expansions or Sequels on the Horizon?
Avowed's release was a triumph, with Microsoft and Obsidian reportedly pleased with its sales figures. In a February 22, 2025 interview with Bloomberg, Avowed Game Director Carrie Patel discussed the potential for expansions or sequels.
While Obsidian hasn't officially announced any future plans, Patel expressed a strong desire to continue working on the franchise. The prospect of creating new content within the established world is particularly appealing to her. 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 the Challenges of Avowed's Development
Avowed's journey to release was fraught with challenges and significant changes. Patel openly acknowledges the messy nature of the process, ultimately leading to a successful outcome.
The project began in 2018, as Obsidian prepared for a potential sale, despite the success of titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity. The independence presented its own obstacles. Microsoft's acquisition of Obsidian in 2020, and the subsequent game announcement, marked a turning point. However, the team had to cut several features, including multiplayer functionality. A leadership change and game reboot in January 2021 further reshaped the project.
Patel, at the helm, describes the difficulties of managing a team of over 80 people. "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," she explained. Under Patel's leadership, the team focused on enhancing the story and lore from the Pillars of Eternity franchise and shifted from an open world to open zones, allowing for greater refinement of these areas.
Reflecting on the experience, 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 Eyes a Pillars of Eternity Tactics Game
With the Pillars of Eternity franchise revitalized through Avowed, Obsidian is now exploring the possibility of a Pillars of Eternity Tactics game. During a February 23, 2025 Twitch livestream, Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Director Josh Sawyer revealed the company's interest in this direction.
Sawyer stated, "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 acknowledged the challenges in determining the scope: "The difficulty is figuring out the scope of it, in terms of 'how many people' and 'what sort of visual quality are we going for' and 'how big is it?'" Previous reports indicated developer interest in a Pillars of Eternity tactics game, and Avowed's success may finally bring this project to fruition.
Despite this, Sawyer remains committed to developing Pillars of Eternity 3, envisioning a budget comparable to Baldur’s Gate 3—around $100 million—a significant increase from the budget of Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire.
Avowed is now available for Xbox Series X|S and PC. For the latest updates on Avowed, check out our related article!
