Avowed

75 / 100Role-playing (RPG)AdventureFebruary 18, 2025

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. The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem. Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance. Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.

Xbox Series X|SPC (Microsoft Windows)PlayStation 5

Obsidian EntertainmentLayoffsFallout

Obsidian Game Director Defends Studio Against Layoff Criticism and Fallout Future Doubts

Following a wave of layoffs that shook Obsidian Entertainment, a game director at the studio has pushed back hard against online commentators claiming the developer is no longer what it "used to be." The director described the past week as "extremely difficult" for staff, but expressed clear frustration at what they called "cold take artists" who have been "running their mouths" and "spouting off" about the studio's direction without, in their view, any real basis. The message was pointed: criticism of Avowed should not be read as a signal that Obsidian has lost its identity or its ability to deliver quality RPGs going forward.

12h ago

XboxLayoffsBethesda

Xbox's Massive Layoffs Gut Major Studios and Derail Key Projects

Microsoft's sweeping Xbox restructuring, which cut roughly 3,200 jobs, is continuing to send shockwaves across its first-party studios, and the full scale of the damage is only now coming into focus. ZeniMax Online Studios, the team behind The Elder Scrolls Online, has confirmed over 200 layoffs in Maryland, part of a broader 379-person cut across ZeniMax's Maryland workforce. Obsidian Entertainment is losing an estimated 60 to 70 employees, with a WARN notice confirming at least 52 cuts, representing roughly a quarter of the studio's staff. Meanwhile, id Software, the legendary studio behind Doom and Quake, has reportedly been so severely gutted that its ability to operate as a standalone development team is now in question, with newly revealed game concepts killed before they ever had a chance.

2d ago