Avowed Was Originally Designed as a Blend of Destiny and Skyrim

In a recent Bloomberg interview, Avowed's second game director, Carrie Patel, revealed the tumultuous journey behind the game's development, including the discarding of two years of work. Initially, Obsidian Entertainment conceived Avowed as a blend of Destiny and Skyrim, aiming for a massive open world with cooperative multiplayer.

The 2020 teaser trailer, while exciting for fans, masked the game's unfinished state. Months later, the entire project was scrapped and restarted. The teaser now serves as a reminder of a vastly different, unreleased prototype.

Patel then took the reins as game director, reimagining Avowed. She moved away from the Skyrim and Destiny influences, abandoning the open-world design and multiplayer aspects. Instead, Obsidian opted for their signature zone-based structure, focusing on a single-player narrative deeply rooted in the Pillars of Eternity lore.

This mid-development reboot presented immense challenges, likened to filmmaking without a script. Teams worked intensely amidst uncertainty as leadership solidified a cohesive vision. Despite these obstacles, development continued for another four years before Avowed's eventual release.