Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed was originally designed as an online game similar to Destiny and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
After Microsoft acquired Obsidian, the game struggled to come together and the multiplayer was cut entirely before it was publicly announced.
In January 2021, significant changes were made to focus more on the world and lore of Pillars of Eternity, and the open world was replaced with large 'zones'.
Avowed received near-universal praise from critics and has been successful for Xbox’s Game Pass service.