Avowed Interview: Obsidian discusses the PlayStation 5 version, Anniversary Update, and feedback one year later
Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed is now available on PlayStation 5, coming alongside a sizable Anniversary Update one year after the game's original release for Xbox Series X|S and Steam last year.
RPG Site had a chance to talk with Gameplay Director Gabe Paramo to discuss the PlayStation 5 version, updates made to the game, feedback from players, and more.
Our discussion on Avowed can be found below. In case you missed it, you can also check out Mikhail's impressions on the PlayStation 5 version.
RPG Site: What notable feedback from players did you tackle to ensure the PS5 release arrives in the best position possible for a new audience?
Gabe Paramo: The PS5 release represents a full year's worth of updates. That covers everything from crash and progression-blocker fixes to performance optimizations to entirely new features. We made updates to our Fighter and Ranger class trees, additional playable races, and New Game+. The PS5 version is the Anniversary update, which is the game in its best form since its initial release.
Gabe Paramo: The PS5 release represents a full year's worth of updates. That covers everything from crash and progression-blocker fixes to performance optimizations to entirely new features. We made updates to our Fighter and Ranger class trees, additional playable races, and New Game+. The PS5 version is the Anniversary update, which is the game in its best form since its initial release.
RPG Site: Let's say players picked up Avowed (perhaps on Game Pass) but bounced off the game for whatever reason. What would you say would be the biggest reason for those players to check out the game again after the Anniversary update?
Paramo: I want to be upfront. If you didn't enjoy the core pacing of Avowed, the flow between conversations, exploration, and combat, nothing about that has fundamentally changed. But if you're a player who felt limited in the type of character you could create compared to Pillars in terms of race, or felt like you couldn't fully realize your Fighter, Ranger, or Wizard fantasy, or felt like your playstyle wasn't being supported due to a lack of unique gear variety from region to region, or felt like the economy was too strict and punishing, we've addressed all of that. And if you beat Avowed but just wanted more, we've got you covered there, too, with the addition of New Game+.
Paramo: I want to be upfront. If you didn't enjoy the core pacing of Avowed, the flow between conversations, exploration, and combat, nothing about that has fundamentally changed. But if you're a player who felt limited in the type of character you could create compared to Pillars in terms of race, or felt like you couldn't fully realize your Fighter, Ranger, or Wizard fantasy, or felt like your playstyle wasn't being supported due to a lack of unique gear variety from region to region, or felt like the economy was too strict and punishing, we've addressed all of that. And if you beat Avowed but just wanted more, we've got you covered there, too, with the addition of New Game+.
RPG Site: What are some specific mechanical adjustments you've made to the game since launch in response to feedback from players? Feel free to dive deep here.
Paramo: When the game first launched, there was a strong community sentiment that the economy was way too tight. Players felt like they were bouncing off the content too quickly, not enough unique gear variety, equipment prices in stores felt too steep, the upgrade system required too many resources, and the world wasn't providing enough to keep up. We were able to address all of that. Players can now engage with the progression systems the way they want to. The friction has been smoothed out significantly, and the progression curve feels much more gradual rather than heavily stepped.
Paramo: When the game first launched, there was a strong community sentiment that the economy was way too tight. Players felt like they were bouncing off the content too quickly, not enough unique gear variety, equipment prices in stores felt too steep, the upgrade system required too many resources, and the world wasn't providing enough to keep up. We were able to address all of that. Players can now engage with the progression systems the way they want to. The friction has been smoothed out significantly, and the progression curve feels much more gradual rather than heavily stepped.
RPG Site: Was there any feedback to Avowed that you received that came as a surprise? How have you addressed this?
Paramo: We were definitely surprised by how many people consistently bounced off the upgrading experience. We were trying to create a tight gameplay loop. The player completes content, upgrades their gear, and faces harder content. But because the game is open-area, players who really wanted to explore were getting stopped in their tracks in ways we didn't anticipate. They'd push into new areas and hit a wall, not because of enemy difficulty, but because the upgrade system wasn't keeping pace with their curiosity. That frustration came through loud and clear. We've since addressed it and made the experience much more gradual and less binary.
Paramo: We were definitely surprised by how many people consistently bounced off the upgrading experience. We were trying to create a tight gameplay loop. The player completes content, upgrades their gear, and faces harder content. But because the game is open-area, players who really wanted to explore were getting stopped in their tracks in ways we didn't anticipate. They'd push into new areas and hit a wall, not because of enemy difficulty, but because the upgrade system wasn't keeping pace with their curiosity. That frustration came through loud and clear. We've since addressed it and made the experience much more gradual and less binary.
RPG Site: One of the biggest features you are adding in the Anniversary Update is a New Game + feature. How do you go about designing how New Game + is incorporated into the game, and can you briefly describe how it works in Avowed?
Paramo: It was tricky. New Game+ was a heavily requested community feature, and honestly, we hadn't planned on building it post-launch at all. Because of that, we had to introduce some new infrastructure, starting with a flag in the save system that recognizes "this player beat the game”. When that player returns to the main menu, they see a new option to start New Game+ using that flagged save. Once they select it, they're presented with a message explaining the rules. The player’s character resets to level 1, and all of their unique equipment from their inventory and party stash carries over but also resets to level 1. They keep all of their attributes and ability points, and their max attribute cap increases to 30 points per attribute. On the enemy side, everything is more difficult. Enemies come with additional gameplay-affecting modifiers that change how encounters play out compared to the first run.
Paramo: It was tricky. New Game+ was a heavily requested community feature, and honestly, we hadn't planned on building it post-launch at all. Because of that, we had to introduce some new infrastructure, starting with a flag in the save system that recognizes "this player beat the game”. When that player returns to the main menu, they see a new option to start New Game+ using that flagged save. Once they select it, they're presented with a message explaining the rules. The player’s character resets to level 1, and all of their unique equipment from their inventory and party stash carries over but also resets to level 1. They keep all of their attributes and ability points, and their max attribute cap increases to 30 points per attribute. On the enemy side, everything is more difficult. Enemies come with additional gameplay-affecting modifiers that change how encounters play out compared to the first run.
RPG Site: What sort of visual updates or modes should players expect on PS5 and PS5 Pro compared to the Xbox Series console release?
Paramo: Our goal was to make sure all platforms were comparable to one another. It doesn't matter which platform the players choose; they're getting the same core experience. Whatever platform you pick, you're not missing out. You're getting the intended, consistent experience.
Paramo: Our goal was to make sure all platforms were comparable to one another. It doesn't matter which platform the players choose; they're getting the same core experience. Whatever platform you pick, you're not missing out. You're getting the intended, consistent experience.
RPG Site: Avowed had some unique dialogue based on your race. Considering that, how difficult was it to add the new races into this update? How will the game’s writing accommodate them?
Paramo: It was actually quite difficult. It took a ton of work from our gameplay engineers and character artists to make sure all of the character customization options worked across the new races, and that our in-world interactions all synced up properly regardless of the player's height or proportions. On the writing side, because our post-launch team was primarily made up of people focused on the PS5 port and gameplay, without dedicated narrative people available, we weren't able to add unique dialogue choices based on the player's race. What we did add, though, are different gameplay attribute bonuses depending on which race the player chooses, so there's still a meaningful mechanical distinction tied to that choice.
Paramo: It was actually quite difficult. It took a ton of work from our gameplay engineers and character artists to make sure all of the character customization options worked across the new races, and that our in-world interactions all synced up properly regardless of the player's height or proportions. On the writing side, because our post-launch team was primarily made up of people focused on the PS5 port and gameplay, without dedicated narrative people available, we weren't able to add unique dialogue choices based on the player's race. What we did add, though, are different gameplay attribute bonuses depending on which race the player chooses, so there's still a meaningful mechanical distinction tied to that choice.
RPG Site: The quarter staff was a fairly popular weapon in the Pillars game. How have you translated it over into Avowed’s systems? And were there other weapons you considered adding?
Paramo: The biggest goal with the quarterstaff was to give the Wizard player fantasy a proper melee option in their second loadout. At launch, we had one-handed swords, two-handed swords, dual daggers, and pistols, but there wasn't really a way for a player committed to the Wizard fantasy to stay consistent between loadouts. Now with the quarterstaff, you can run a one-handed wand and offhand grimoire in loadout one, and then a quarterstaff in loadout two, and the whole thing feels cohesive. It completes the fantasy.
Paramo: The biggest goal with the quarterstaff was to give the Wizard player fantasy a proper melee option in their second loadout. At launch, we had one-handed swords, two-handed swords, dual daggers, and pistols, but there wasn't really a way for a player committed to the Wizard fantasy to stay consistent between loadouts. Now with the quarterstaff, you can run a one-handed wand and offhand grimoire in loadout one, and then a quarterstaff in loadout two, and the whole thing feels cohesive. It completes the fantasy.
RPG Site: For the Anniversary update, should we expect any technical optimizations for the PC version, or for PC handhelds?
Paramo: Absolutely, there are optimizations across all platforms both on CPU and GPU. This is also regardless of what Graphics settings the player chooses. And with the way we’ve setup our scalability settings, we're able to run on devices like the ROG Xbox Ally and Steam Deck nicely. As a side note, between launch and the Anniversary Update we were able to earn the Steam Deck Verified green checkmark, which gives players that confidence that they can enjoy the Avowed experience on that platform as well.
Paramo: Absolutely, there are optimizations across all platforms both on CPU and GPU. This is also regardless of what Graphics settings the player chooses. And with the way we’ve setup our scalability settings, we're able to run on devices like the ROG Xbox Ally and Steam Deck nicely. As a side note, between launch and the Anniversary Update we were able to earn the Steam Deck Verified green checkmark, which gives players that confidence that they can enjoy the Avowed experience on that platform as well.
RPG Site: Now that you’ve had time to refine Avowed, is Eora and the Pillars universe something you’d like to keep exploring? Do you already have ideas for what’s next?
Paramo: We love the world of Eora and the Pillars of Eternity universe. There is so much lore and depth there to be inspired by. With the release of Avowed, the team and the studio learned a tremendous amount about bringing this world into a first-person and third-person perspective. All I can say is that we're a studio that loves to build on what came before, to share technology, learnings, and ideas from one project to the next in order to improve on our successes.
RPG Site: Thank you for your time!
Paramo: We love the world of Eora and the Pillars of Eternity universe. There is so much lore and depth there to be inspired by. With the release of Avowed, the team and the studio learned a tremendous amount about bringing this world into a first-person and third-person perspective. All I can say is that we're a studio that loves to build on what came before, to share technology, learnings, and ideas from one project to the next in order to improve on our successes.
RPG Site: Thank you for your time!