I still remember the exact moment the Avowed framerate conversation shifted from speculation to something closer to concern. During a 2024 interview on the Iron Lords Podcast, Obsidian Entertainment art director Matt Hansen and production director Ryan Warden were asked about console performance targets. Hansen said performance was 'one of the last things' the team would focus on, and that they were targeting a 'bare minimum' of 30fps because that is the 'expectation.' As a player who has followed Xbox’s first-party output all generation, that answer landed like a cold bucket of water. It was not a cancellation, and it was not a delay, but it was a warning that Avowed might arrive without the 60fps performance mode many of us had assumed would be standard on Xbox Series X.
Avowed is not just another RPG. It is Obsidian’s return to the world of Eora, the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, and it was first revealed in 2020 as one of the flagship fantasy projects for Xbox. The January 2024 Developer_Direct confirmed a late 2024 release, but the holiday season was packed with massive releases like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Microsoft and Obsidian moved Avowed to early 2025. That extra time was supposed to give the studio breathing room and polish. It did not, however, guarantee a 60fps mode.
Hansen also argued that players 'don’t necessarily need' 60fps for a first-person single-player game like Avowed. He explained that designing around a 30fps target allowed Obsidian to increase VFX, lighting, and visual density. The studio was, in his words, 'happy' with that trade-off. I understand the logic. Visual ambition costs something. But I also know that first-person camera movement at 30fps can feel heavy, especially in a game where players will be exploring, casting spells, and fighting in close quarters. Smoothness is not just a number. It affects how connected I feel to the world.
To put Avowed’s situation in context, it could become the fifth major Xbox first-party game this generation to launch without a 60fps mode. That is a strange sentence to write in 2026, when 60fps has become a common expectation on console, not a luxury. The history is uncomfortable:
| Game | Year | 60fps situation |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator | 2021 | Framerate can be unlocked only for VRR displays |
| Redfall | 2023 | 60fps performance mode added in a later update |
| Starfield | 2023 | 60fps performance mode added in a later update |
| Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 | 2024 | 30fps cap, largely due to Unreal Engine 5 |
| Avowed | 2025 | Hinted 30fps target, potential fifth major Xbox first-party game without launch 60fps |
The Unreal Engine 5 factor matters. Avowed is built on UE5, and that engine has been famously taxing on current-generation consoles. Hellblade 2’s 30fps cap was a direct consequence of its UE5 utilization, though Ninja Theory placed a far greater emphasis on visuals than Avowed does. Obsidian’s RPG is not trying to be a photorealistic showcase in the same way. It is trying to be a dense, systems-driven fantasy adventure. If 30fps is the price for that density, I can understand why the team made the call, but I do not have to celebrate it.
What bothers me most is the messaging. Microsoft spent 2020 telling players that Xbox Series X was the most powerful console ever, and that Series S would deliver a next-generation experience at a lower price. By 2026, the generation has been full of compromises. Some are understandable. Some are not. When first-party games arrive without a performance mode, it undermines the promise that Xbox consoles are built for high-frame-rate play. I am not asking every game to hit 120fps. I am asking for a stable 60fps option in a first-person action RPG.
There is still hope. Starfield added a 60fps performance mode in update 1.11.36 after launch, and Redfall eventually received one too. If Avowed launched without a 60fps mode, it could follow the same path. A patch is not as good as a launch feature, but it is better than nothing. Player demand matters. If enough of us speak up, Obsidian and Xbox may respond.
As a player, I want Avowed to succeed. I love Obsidian’s writing, choices, and world-building. I want to get lost in Eora, not fight the camera. In 2026, I am still watching how Xbox handles performance, and I am still hoping Avowed gets the smooth 60fps option it deserves. The game may be remembered for its story, its companions, and its combat. I just do not want its framerate to be the thing I remember most. 🎮