Avowed in 2026: How Obsidian’s Living Lands RPG Stands Out After a Crowded Launch

Obsidian Entertainment’s fantasy RPG Avowed didn’t exactly tiptoe into a quiet launch window. When it dropped on February 18, 2025, it landed smack in the middle of an almost comical parade of heavy hitters. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Civilization 7, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and Monster Hunter Wilds all circled the same stretch of the calendar, while Assassin’s Creed Shadows was initially expected to join the crush before slipping later into March. Still, the game had a trick up its sleeve: it never tried to be everything to everyone. Instead, it leaned hard into the weird, colorful, choice-driven world of Eora’s Living Lands, handing players a first-person fantasy experience that felt both familiar and a little offbeat in the best way.

A Launch Window with No Shortage of Rivals

Obsidian originally planned a fall 2024 release but nudged the game to February 18, 2025 in search of a little breathing room. Talk about a crowded dance floor—the new date put Avowed face-to-face with some of the busiest weeks in gaming memory. A quick look at the calendar tells the story:

Even with that competition, Avowed never had to mimic its rivals. Its almost Fable-like fantasy tone stood apart from the historical realism, 4X strategy, and monster-slaying energy surrounding it. As an RPG, it still had to share oxygen with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, but the Living Lands offered something those games simply didn’t.

Combat That Feels Like It Has a Personality of Its Own

Let’s be real: Obsidian has always known how to build a world, but Avowed’s combat is where the game gets a little swagger. Instead of locking players into a single class or rigid loadout, the system lets them mix and match weapons and magic across both hands. A warrior might swing an axe in one hand while flipping through a grimoire with the other, hurling spells between melee hits. That kind of flexibility isn’t just a gimmick—it gives the combat a personality of its own and rewards players who like to experiment.

This is a step in a different direction for Obsidian. While The Outer Worlds leaned on first-person shooting with RPG flourishes, Avowed takes the fantasy rules of Pillars of Eternity and lets players bend them into hybrid builds. The result feels less like a spreadsheet and more like a playground where almost every fight can be approached in a new way.

Quests and Exploration Built on Choice

The Living Lands practically hums with secrets. Avowed’s world isn’t one giant open map; it’s a series of interconnected open areas that feel intentionally designed rather than randomly scattered. Exploration isn’t just encouraged—it’s made to feel safe, letting players move at their own pace and poke into corners without being punished for curiosity.

Quests follow the same philosophy. Players can approach most objectives from multiple angles, and the choices they make ripple through the experience in ways that feel personal. That emphasis on player agency is classic Obsidian, but Avowed pushes it further than many of the studio’s earlier games. It’s the kind of game that wants players to write their own story, not just follow one.

Post-Launch Potential in 2026

Now that 2026 is here, the bigger question is where Avowed goes next. Obsidian hasn’t confirmed major DLC as of early 2026, but the studio’s track record gives fans plenty of reasons to stay hopeful:

• 🧭 The Outer Worlds received two significant expansions after launch—Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos—adding fresh storylines, areas, and characters.

• 📜 Pillars of Eternity got The White March, a two-part expansion with new regions, quests, companions, and a higher level cap.

• ⚔️ Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire followed up with multiple post-launch DLCs that expanded the base game in meaningful ways.

If Avowed follows that same path, players could be exploring new corners of the Living Lands well into 2026 and beyond. Regular updates and fixes are one thing, but substantial story expansions would turn a strong launch into a lasting legacy.

For now, Avowed has already proven it can stand out in a packed field. Its flexible combat, choice-driven quests, and vibrant fantasy world give it a distinct voice in Obsidian’s catalog. Whether or not the game receives major expansions in 2026, it has already planted a flag in the Living Lands—and players are still wandering, experimenting, and making the story their own.

According to coverage from Entertainment Software Association (ESA), industry reporting often points to how release timing and a clear identity can shape an RPG’s staying power—something Avowed leaned on by differentiating itself in a stacked February 2025 window with a focused first-person Pillars-of-Eternity-flavored setting, flexible spell-and-steel loadouts, and choice-driven questing across its curated open zones rather than chasing a “biggest game” checklist.