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Avowed Is More Than Obsidian’s Take on Skyrim

Avowed may evoke Skyrim’s first-person fantasy frame, but its setting and identity come from Eora, the world of Pillars of Eternity.
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Avowed shares Skyrim’s first-person fantasy RPG frame, but it is not a Skyrim copy or a documented successor. Obsidian’s game is set in Eora, the world of Pillars of Eternity, and centers on the Living Lands, a frontier facing a spreading plague called the Dreamscourge. Its identity comes from that setting, flexible weapon-and-magic combat, and companions whose stories can respond to player choices.

Is Avowed just Skyrim?

No. “Skyrim” is a useful shorthand for the broad idea of exploring a fantasy world in first person, but the official descriptions do not establish a direct lineage or game-to-game comparison. Xbox Wire classifies Avowed as a first-person fantasy action RPG from Obsidian; its documented franchise connection is to Pillars of Eternity, not The Elder Scrolls. Xbox Wire’s launch guide describes it as set in Eora, the world first introduced in Pillars of Eternity.

That distinction matters: Avowed’s premise and worldbuilding are rooted in Eora, while its first-person perspective and fantasy setting explain why Skyrim comes to mind. The available official sources do not support claims that one game is larger, better, longer, or more quest-rich than the other.

How is Avowed connected to Pillars of Eternity?

Avowed takes place in Eora, the setting of Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity games. It is a first-person action RPG in that established world, rather than a new Elder Scrolls-style setting. Familiarity with Pillars of Eternity can add context, but the official descriptions present Avowed’s own central story and do not identify prior games as a prerequisite.

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#1 Best Overall
Sale
Avowed | Standard Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities.

The world’s spiritual rules are part of its identity. Game Director Carrie Patel told Xbox Wire: “The flow of souls, the presence and existence of that energy, is key and core to life continuing in Eora in a way that will resonate with players who have been through Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.” The Xbox Wire interview connects that metaphysics to the wider Pillars setting.

What is the Living Lands and what is the story about?

The Living Lands is a new frontier region within Eora, with its own ecosystems and communities. Obsidian’s official Avowed page casts the player as an envoy of Aedyr sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague. The investigation draws the envoy into a personal connection to the region and an ancient secret. The crisis is known as the Dreamscourge.

This gives the game a different center of gravity from a generic “wander a fantasy map” pitch: the setting is a distinct part of an existing fictional world, and the story begins with a specific mission that becomes personally consequential.

Rank #2
Avowed | Premium Upgrade Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
  • Requires base game, Game Pass Ultimate, or PC Game Pass Membership (Sold Separately)
  • Premium Upgrade includes: Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for your companions, and access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
  • 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.
  • 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.      

How does Avowed combat work?

Combat is built around choosing and combining tools rather than committing to one fixed archetype. Obsidian lists swords, spells, guns, and shields, alongside options such as grimoire spells and ranged bows. Xbox Wire describes four skill trees—Fighter, Ranger, Wizard, and Godlike—and two separate weapon loadouts. Those systems support changing approach as encounters demand it.

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  • Weapons and defense: Swords and shields offer direct close-range options, while guns and bows provide ranged attacks.
  • Magic: Spells, including those accessed through grimoires, add magical attacks and abilities to a loadout.
  • Character development: The four skill trees provide different directions for building the player character.
  • Loadouts: Two weapon loadouts let players prepare more than one combination for combat.

These are the official systems described by Obsidian and Xbox Wire; they do not establish a single best build or promise that every combination is equally effective.

What do companions add?

Companions have distinct skills, personalities, and personal stories, according to Xbox Wire’s launch account. They are more than combat tools: Xbox Wire also says player choices can shape their journeys. That makes the party part of both the tactical and narrative experience, though the official descriptions do not specify that every choice produces a particular outcome.

Rank #3
Sale
Avowed | Premium Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
  • Premium Edition includes: Avowed base game, Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for each of your companions, and access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities.

When did Avowed launch, and where can you play it?

Avowed launched on February 18, 2025. At launch, Xbox Wire listed Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and Game Pass availability. Game Pass inclusion is a launch-era fact, not confirmation of the catalog on a later date.

Obsidian’s current official page also lists a PS5 release and anniversary-update features including New Game Plus, Photo Mode, a new weapon type, and appearance changes. The page does not assign a precise rollout date to each item, so those features should be understood as listed on the current page rather than tied to a specific update date.

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What does the PC version require?

Obsidian’s support page gives these Windows PC specifications. They are technical requirements for the PC version, not general hardware-buying recommendations. Obsidian’s system-requirements page lists the following:

Rank #4
Avowed – Edition Premium SteelBook – Xbox Series X|S et Windows
  • L'édition Premium SteelBook comprend: le jeu de base Avowed, jusqu'à 5 jours d'accès anticipé, le SteelBook Avowed, la carte des Terres Vivantes, deux packs de skins Premium et l'accès à l'Artbook numérique Avowed et à la bande-son originale
  • Vous êtes l'envoyé d'Aedyr, une terre lointaine, missionné pour enquêter sur les rumeurs selon lesquelles une épidémie se propagerait dans les Terres Vivantes, une île pleine de mystères et de secrets, de dangers et d'aventures, de choix et de conséconsés. quences, et d'une nature sauvage
  • Explorez une île qui abrite de nombreux environnements et paysages différents, chacun avec son propre écosystème unique
  • Mélangez et associez des épées, des sorts, des armes et des boucliers pour vous frayer un chemin
  • The compagnons d'un large éventail d'espèces se battront à vos côtés, avec leurs propres capacités uniques
Specification Minimum Recommended
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i5-8400 AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel i7-10700K
Memory 16 GB RAM 16 GB RAM
Graphics AMD Radeon RX 5700, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, or Intel Arc A580 AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
DirectX Version 12 Version 12
Available storage 75 GB 75 GB

Does Avowed require a particular controller or physical edition?

No particular controller is identified as a requirement or recommendation in the official materials cited here. Obsidian’s issue tracker includes patch-note categories through version 2.1 and records a fixed-on-live PS5 controller-rebinding issue; that establishes controller support, not a need to buy a specific model. Obsidian Support is the official place to consult for current support information.

The official page lists a digital artbook and soundtrack as edition contents, but that does not establish a boxed retail edition or a physical artbook. The reviewed official material likewise does not document an official physical merchandise offering.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1
Avowed | Standard Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
Avowed | Standard Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.; Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way
$66.49
Bestseller No. 2
Avowed | Premium Upgrade Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
Avowed | Premium Upgrade Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
Requires base game, Game Pass Ultimate, or PC Game Pass Membership (Sold Separately); Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way.      
$24.99
SaleBestseller No. 3
Avowed | Premium Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
Avowed | Premium Edition | Xbox Series X|S and Windows Digital Code
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way.
$85.49

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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