In a recent Bloomberg interview, Avowed's second game director, Carrie Patel, revealed the tumultuous journey behind the game's development, including the scrapping of two years of work. Obsidian Entertainment initially 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 far-from-complete state. Months later, the decision was made to completely restart development. The teaser trailer now serves as a reminder of a discarded prototype, vastly different from the final release.
Following the reboot, Patel took the helm and redefined Avowed. She moved away from the Skyrim and Destiny influences, abandoning the open-world design and multiplayer aspects. Instead, Obsidian adopted their signature zone-based structure, focusing on a compelling single-player narrative deeply rooted in the Pillars of Eternity lore.
Restarting mid-development proved incredibly challenging, comparable to filmmaking without a script. Teams worked intensely amidst uncertainty as leadership solidified a unified vision. Despite these obstacles, development continued for another four years before Avowed's eventual release.
