Avowed Has An Ace Up its Sleeve to Stand Out in a Crowded Launch Window

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Avowed Has An Ace Up its Sleeve to Stand Out in a Crowded Launch Window

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the upcoming release of Avowed from Obsidian Entertainment has certainly piqued my interest. Having grown up playing isometric RPGs like the original Pillars of Eternity and Baldur’s Gate series, I’m excited to see how this first-person perspective spinoff will fare.

Avowed, developed by renowned studio Obsidian Entertainment (now under Microsoft’s ownership since 2018), is their inaugural AAA project. This game is set within the universe of the popular franchise, Pillars of Eternity, whose first installment was a critically acclaimed CRPG from 2015. Unlike its predecessor, Avowed uses a predominantly first-person view in gameplay rather than an isometric one, resembling games such as The Outer Worlds and Fallout: New Vegas. Originally scheduled for release in 2024, the game has now been postponed to February 18, 2025, debuting on Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC. As a result, it will be one of Microsoft’s highly anticipated exclusives in the near future.

Regrettably, the postponement of “Avowed” until 2025 puts it in a challenging position due to the crowded release schedule in the video game industry next year. February appears to be particularly packed with new releases, and when Obsidian’s upcoming RPG finally drops, it will have stiff competition from heavyweights like Capcom, Sega, Take-Two, and Ubisoft. Among the notable games slated for release in 2025, “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2”, “Civilization 7”, “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii”, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows”, and “Monster Hunter Wilds” are all set to debut in February. Given the fierce competition, “Avowed” will need to work hard to capture gamers’ interest when it arrives next year. However, it does have one significant advantage over its rivals launching in February: [mention a specific competitive edge of Avowed that sets it apart from other games].

Avowed’s Xbox Game Pass Launch Could Give It a Competitive Edge Over Other February 2025 Titles

Avowed Will Be on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on Day-One

Among the highly-anticipated AAA games slated for release in Q1 2025, Avowed is one of the select few that will debut concurrently on Xbox Game Pass. Just like other first-party titles from Microsoft, Obsidian’s upcoming RPG, Avowed, will be accessible at no additional cost to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers on its release day. This means that instead of shelling out the full price for the game, Xbox and PC gamers can delve into the world of Avowed for just $20 if they manage to finish it within a month, thanks to GP Ultimate. Alternatively, PC Game Pass subscribers will have the chance to explore this title for as little as $12 per month, which is quite economical given today’s gaming landscape.

Unlike Most AAA Games, Avowed’s Barrier to Entry Will Be Low

Most major releases nowadays, including games like Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, cost upwards of $70. This daunting price tag may be a tough pill to swallow for financially-conscious gamers, because many of them likely can’t justify spending $70 on more than 3 to 4 AAA titles in the same month. This is why Avowed‘s availability on Xbox Game Pass is significant, as it makes the upcoming RPG more accessible to a wider audience of people than the other AAA games launching in February, none of which are coming to a subscription service on day-one.

Avowed’s Exclusivity Does Hinder Its Accessibility, But It May Come to Other Platforms At Some Point

Despite having a relatively simple entry requirement, what sets Avowed apart from games like MH Wilds and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is its limited availability to Xbox consoles and PCs. In contrast, many of the games slated for release in February 2025 are multiplatform, granting them a day-one launch on PlayStation 5 and/or Nintendo Switch. This means that Avowed, developed by Obsidian, may not enjoy the same wide reach as these titles due to its exclusive nature.

Regardless, there’s a strong chance that this game might appear on different systems in the future. Keep in mind, numerous Microsoft-published games like Obsidian’s own “Pentiment” and “Grounded” have been adapted for rival consoles lately. However, if “Avowed” does make its way to PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2, it probably won’t be offered as a subscription service on those platforms, so the price you pay upfront for the game would be similar to any other AAA title.

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2024-10-12 13:34