Summary
With the upcomingAvowedseemingly being set to keep its 2024 release window, hype around the fantasy project is reaching a fever pitch. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the depth of combat and exploration in the title already seems fascinating, with its recent appearance at the Xbox Developer Direct finally giving fans a more complete picture of what to expect.
Given the amount of anticipation that already surroundsAvowed, the concept of a sequel at some point in the future is not out of the question. While this currently seems like a faraway prospect for the franchise, the game’s ties to thePillars of EternityIP provides it with the perfect opportunity to take a page out ofThe Elder Scrolls' development playbook for any future releases.
Avowed Already Has a Thriving World To Pull From For Future Releases
Avowedis in a fantastic position prior to release due toits ties with thePillars of Eternityfranchise, which launched in 2015. ThePoEgames are characterized by top-down isometric perspectives and real-time tactical combat, being considered as spiritual successors to deep RPG franchises likeBaldur’s Gate. The respect thatPoEpays to more traditional fantasy RPG elements has already seen the franchise develop some rich and complex lore, withAvowedtaking place in the same fantastical world of Eora asPillars of Eternity.
More ofAvowed’s main narrative has been revealed recently, with the player adopting the role of an envoy from the Aedyr Empire who has a mysterious connection to The Living Lands, which itself is only a small portion of Eora. As things stand, it seems thatThe Living Lands will be the only explorable part of Eora inAvowed, yet the world actually consists of the following regions and island ranges:
Avowed’s Eora Has the Same Scale as The Elder Scrolls' Tamriel
Most of Eora has not even been explored in thePillars of Eternitygames, with each region having its own deep history and being home to a wide variety of creatures and races. From a gaming perspective,Avowedhas been heavily likened toThe Elder Scrolls, with the combat, storytelling, and exploration of both franchises being quite similar at face value.
These similarities of course extend to the main settings of both IPs, withAvowed’s Eora having the same diversity and scale as the iconicTamriel fromThe Elder Scrolls. Each entry toThe Elder Scrollsis essentially defined by the province of Tamriel that it is set within, so much so that many games are simply named after their core setting. Even after five mainline entries and numerous spin-offs, a lot of Tamriel is still left unrepresented and unexplored, with the sheer scale of the continent givingThe Elder Scrollsa serious amount of longevity.
With Eora arguably being justas vast and complex as Tamriel, any sequels toAvowedcould easily take place in other parts of the world, with the sub-franchise already having a wide range of choices of where to go next. As new games explore new regions of Eora, the lore and worldbuilding of the IP will only grow, and the upcoming title could easily emulate the success thatThe Elder Scrollshas enjoyed with a similar strategy for its sequels.
Avowed
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands - an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
