Avowed Developer Explains Decision Against Open-World Design

Kate Dollarhyde, the narrative designer behind Avowed, has shed some light on why Obsidian decided against the open-world model for their new RPG. Instead, Avowed will take a page out of The Outer Worlds’ book, presenting players with expansive zones to explore throughout the storyline.

With the release of Avowed marked as a major highlight in the 2025 gaming schedule, there’s plenty of excitement in the air. Obsidian Entertainment, known for crafting remarkable RPGs like Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, certainly knows how to drum up anticipation with each new release. As buzz around the game builds, some of the design decisions have sparked curiosity. Notably, romance options will be absent, which might seem unconventional for a modern RPG. However, it’s refreshing to see Obsidian carve its own path, focusing on what truly enhances gameplay rather than conforming to industry norms.

In an interview with Xbox Wire, Dollarhyde explained the rationale for skipping the open-world approach. She pointed out, “Pacing is really tough in open-world games. You never know where the player is and what they’re doing at any given time. So having these zones that happen in sequence means we always know what content you’ve just come from on the critical path. Maybe not what side quests you’ve done, but we always know you’ve just had this [core] experience.” This design resembles a semi-open-world RPG, much like The Outer Worlds, allowing a more streamlined experience.

Dollarhyde’s insight makes a lot of sense. If Avowed follows a similar route to The Outer Worlds, players will likely get the chance to revisit areas to complete missed side quests. The easier design of late-game content based on universal player experiences is a unique consideration that many might not expect. The anticipation for Avowed feeds into the eagerness surrounding the entire 2025 gaming calendar—veteran developers like those at Obsidian heighten this excitement.

Besides kicking off 2025 with Avowed, Obsidian has more under their sleeve. At The Game Awards 2024, they hinted that The Outer Worlds 2 is slated for late 2025. Of course, unforeseen delays may push this timeline to 2026, but if all goes as planned, 2025 is poised to be a landmark year for the studio, shining brightly in the annals of gaming history.

Players stepping into Avowed will find themselves in the enigmatic Living Lands, a place teeming with danger and adventure. Set within the imaginative world of Eora, originally brought to life in the Pillars of Eternity series, Avowed plunges players into a first-person fantasy action RPG journey crafted by Obsidian’s award-winning team. As the envoy of Aedyr, gamers are tasked with investigating rumors of a pervasive plague brewing across this mystic isle, uncovering ancient secrets with dire consequences. The question remains: will players save this enigmatic land and themselves from looming threats?