Avowed Delay Wasn’t Due To Game Quality, Phil Spencer Says

As an avid gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can understand both sides of the argument regarding Avowed’s delay. On one hand, I appreciate the transparency from Xbox and Obsidian about their reasons for the delay, and I believe them when they say it wasn’t due to any concerns about quality.

When Obsidian postponed the release of Avowed from November 2024 to February 2025, they explained that it was to allow the game more room to thrive without the intense competition it would have faced earlier. Although some fans were skeptical about this reasoning, Xbox head Phil Spencer reiterated that the delay had nothing to do with the game’s quality.

During an interview with Stephen Totilo at Game File (requires subscription), Spencer indicated that due to the high number of upcoming game releases, it was strategically sensible for Avowed to be moved.

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He mentioned that once we acquire the Diablo expansion, followed by Black Ops, and eventually Indy [along with the Great Circle], we’ll have the funds for it all. He explained that we didn’t shift it due to Obsidian needing the time; instead, they’ll utilize that time.

As the scheduled release date for Avowed is now February 18th, it will encounter competition from games not under Microsoft’s wing such as Civilization 7, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and others. However, based on Phil Spencer’s statements, it appears that Avowed may avoid any further delays.

Spencer mentioned that conversations with Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, and the Game Pass team facilitated a strategy for releasing their games in an appropriate sequence.

At its launch, the game Avowed can only be played on Xbox Series X|S consoles and personal computers. Notably, it will be accessible on Game Pass from the very first day of its release as well.

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