This Xbox Exclusive Is Delayed Into Next Year, But It’s Probably For The Best

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The upcoming Xbox exclusive has seemingly been delayed from a 2024 release window to 2025, but as unfortunate as the postponement might seem, this is one scenario where the delay could be especially helpful. As the next RPG from acclaimed developer Obsidian Entertainment, returns to the unique fantasy world of the games and shakes things up with a new story and first-person perspective. It seems like an obvious choice for fans of titles like and Obsidian's, making it a potentially strong addition to the Xbox catalog.

was first revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase in 2020, marking Obsidian's first new AAA project since being acquired by Microsoft in 2018. More gameplay footage didn't show up until almost three years later, eventually showing off an attempt at a robust first-person spellcasting system and a healthy mix of firearms and more medieval weapons. Obsidian's covered the storytelling side of things more thoroughly since, making a point of its branching system of choices and the rich lore of the Living Lands setting while giving no indication that the game might be delayed.

Avowed's game director Carrie Patel and art director Matthew Hansen explain how the combat and skill system was built for every type of playstyle.

The reports of 's delay come courtesy of , with news buried within a broader article on Microsoft shared on Twitter by Wario64. According to the summary, is actually ," with the reason for the delays lying in the crowded status of the Xbox Game Pass slate in late 2024. Attracting people to the subscription service and the games that it provides access to is a cornerstone of the current Xbox business model, so a change in release plans for the sake of Game Pass scheduling isn't all that surprising as a concept.

Assuming that was likely to release in November (an official post from Obsidian seemingly leaked a November 12 release date for in June), it's easy to see where it might have been lost among some other titles. October sees the debut