Avowed’s Delay Proves Beneficial for a Clear Reason

The year 2024 may not have matched the hectic release schedule of 2023 for video games, but it still delivered some substantial hits. Many of these blockbusters dropped during the latter part of the year, in the fall and winter, and Avowed was expected to be among them.

Initially, Avowed was scheduled for a fall 2024 launch. However, in August, Xbox opted to postpone Obsidian’s much-anticipated fantasy RPG to February 2025, citing a desire to “give players’ backlogs some breathing room.” This seemed to be a wise decision, as major contenders such as Silent Hill 2, Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, STALKER 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle all entered the fray around Avowed’s original release time. Yet, avoiding competition wasn’t the only advantage of this delay.

The Xbox Series X, while technically capable of hitting 120FPS, typically locks many top-tier titles at a lower framerate. Over the past few years, notable Xbox first-party games like Redfall, Starfield, and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 have shipped with a capped 30FPS for consoles. Developers of these games have argued that 30FPS offers the optimal blend of performance and visual fidelity. Nevertheless, each launch has faced criticism for this limitation. In response, both Redfall and Starfield released a 60FPS patch after launch, which, despite not addressing all the critiques, was a welcomed improvement.

Avowed nearly fell into this group of Xbox first-party releases. Back in August, Obsidian’s Art Director, Matt Hansen, stated that Avowed aimed for a minimum 30FPS, expressing satisfaction given the game’s visually dense design. Just a week before early access kickoff, Obsidian revealed they had developed a 60FPS “Performance” mode for Xbox Series X players thanks to the production delay.

The inclusion of this 60FPS “Performance” mode elevates Avowed, aligning it with modern expectations. The benefits of this higher framerate are particularly evident during combat. Known for its lively and responsive combat system, Avowed’s gameplay excels with animations and visual cues making encounters feel tangible and engaging. While 30FPS is functional, 60FPS enhances fluidity, making actions smoother and more dynamic in combat scenarios.

Indeed, delaying Avowed until February 2025 has proven beneficial, allowing Obsidian the time to polish the game up to a 60FPS finish at launch, ensuring players have a smoother experience right from the start. With this optimization, Avowed stands ready to deliver a fully immersive fantasy adventure that meets the high standards of today’s gaming audience.