Avowed’s Release Might Be Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire After Its Delay

by

Avowed's Release Might Be Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire After Its Delay

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that the gaming industry is as unpredictable as a rollercoaster ride. The delay of Avowed from 2024 to 2025 was a bit of a letdown, but I understood the reasoning behind it. However, the recent revelation that February 2025 will be as crowded as a Black Friday sale has me scratching my head.

Avowed was originally planned as one of Xbox’s key first-party releases in 2024, joining heavyweights like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Hellblade 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Given that it was unveiled as early as 2020, it’s evident that the action RPG from developers at Obsidian Entertainment has been in development for a considerable amount of time. With such anticipation surrounding its release, many believed the title would meet its scheduled launch date. In fact, every time Avowed was demonstrated during Xbox presentations this year, including Developer_Direct and the Xbox Games Showcase, it was tagged with a 2024 release window. Notably, Obsidian inadvertently revealed a November 12, 2024 release date for their upcoming RPG before quickly removing any mention of it afterward.

Initially, the absence of a confirmed release date for Avowed by both Obsidian and Microsoft led many to wonder if the game would come out in 2024. These concerns were validated when Xbox officially postponed Avowed’s launch to February 18, 2025, explaining that they wanted to provide players some space in their gaming schedules. Despite reports suggesting that Avowed was ready for release in 2024, Xbox opted to delay the game as part of their strategy to distribute first-party releases evenly and prevent a crowded holiday launch period. However, recent updates suggest that Avowed’s new release date in 2025 might also cause issues similar to those encountered earlier.

Avowed’s Delay to February 2025 May Not Benefit the Game All That Much

Pushing Avowed Out of November Made Sense at the Time

As a fervent admirer, the rationale behind pushing back the release date for Avowed to 2025 appeared quite logical to me. The rumored November release window for this title was brimming with heavy hitters. For instance, Xbox exclusives such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, were all set to debut in that month. Other highly anticipated games like Mario and Luigi: Brothership, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Path of Exile 2, and Planet Coaster 2 were also scheduled for November. To top it off, Ubisoft’s highly anticipated title, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, was supposed to launch on the 15th of November. Given this crowded landscape, it seemed prudent for Avowed to opt for a February release instead, avoiding the November rush.

February 2025 is Going to Be a Stacked Month for Video Game Releases

2025 looks set to be an incredibly busy year for video game releases, with February shaping up to rival November in terms of sheer volume. Some highly-anticipated titles like “Avowed”, “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2”, “Civilization 7”, “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii”, and “Monster Hunter Wilds” are all scheduled for release in February. Additionally, “Lost Records: Bloom and Rage” is set to drop on the same day as Obsidian’s upcoming RPG, and even “Assassin’s Creed Shadows”, which was expected to avoid a collision with “Avowed”, has been moved to February 2025.

Delaying the release of Avowed to 2025 was likely intended to give the game some space, but scheduling it for a competitive month might not have been Microsoft’s plan. The new release date for this RPG doesn’t appear beneficial, as it will now compete with several big-budget heavyweights in February. The upcoming Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, launching just seven days before Avowed, is particularly troubling because both games cater to similar audiences and might negatively impact each other’s sales.

Bumping Avowed Up to January Could Be the Right Call to Make

Considering February 2025 seems quite packed, it might be advantageous for Microsoft to slightly push forward the release date of “Avowed”. January, on the other hand, appears relatively open, with only “Dynasty Warriors: Origins” scheduled as a major release so far. If “Avowed” were to be launched in mid-January, it would have ample time to stand out, benefiting both players and the team at Obsidian.

Read More

2024-10-06 18:43