The highly anticipated RPG from Obsidian Entertainment has been making waves in the gaming community since early 2024, but one particular question keeps popping up in forums and social media: "Is Avowed multiplayer?" The short answer is no - Avowed is avowed multiplayer-free, despite early development plans suggesting otherwise. This decision has sparked conversations among fans who were looking forward to exploring the vibrant world of Eora with friends.

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The Original Multiplayer Vision

Back in the early stages of development, multiplayer functionality was actually on the table for Avowed. According to Obsidian's 20th Anniversary documentary released last year, the developers initially included multiplayer as a key feature to attract publishers and investors. As they put it, promising "multiplayer made it interesting" to those funding the project.

"It was a more interesting game to publishers," the team explained in their candid documentary. This revelation isn't shocking - multiplayer games have dominated the market in recent years, from Black Ops 6 to Baldur's Gate 3 and Helldivers 2.

Why Obsidian Pulled the Plug

The decision to remove multiplayer wasn't made lightly. As development progressed, Obsidian realized they were straying from their core strengths. The team found they "were too focused on Co-op and too focused on changing the way our pipelines work and the way that we write conversations and the way we do quests and everything else."

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In what could be described as a classic case of "biting off more than you can chew," Obsidian made the tough call to pivot back to what they do best - creating immersive single-player experiences with compelling narratives and memorable characters.

"After working on it for a little bit we realized that we weren't focused on the things that we're best at and so we did make a pivot on the game to refocus and make sure that it was at the end of the day an Obsidian game," the developers explained.

Fan Reactions: Mixed but Understanding

The gaming community's response has been surprisingly mature. While some players are disappointed they won't be able to team up with friends, many understand that forcing multiplayer into a game not designed for it can lead to disaster.

As one Reddit user put it, "I'd rather have a killer single-player Obsidian RPG than a watered-down multiplayer experience that doesn't know what it wants to be. They're staying in their lane, and that's a good thing."

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The Silver Lining

The absence of multiplayer has allowed Obsidian to double down on what they do best: creating rich, narrative-driven experiences with complex character interactions and meaningful player choices. For fans of games like Pillars of Eternity and The Outer Worlds, this is actually welcome news.

Players who have jumped in since the early access release on Game Pass Premium (which cost an additional $25) have been sharing positive impressions. As one player noted, "I think if you go into it with no expectations, you'll find a fun game. I find so many people expect every game to be ground breaking and have all these new twists."

What Players Can Expect Instead

While you won't be able to adventure with friends, Avowed still offers plenty to get excited about:

  1. Deep character customization with flexible class options

  2. A rich, immersive world based in the Pillars of Eternity universe

  3. Meaningful companion relationships (though romance options are limited)

  4. Obsidian's trademark writing and moral choices

  5. Varied combat styles, including magic-ranged hybrids

One player described their experience: "I am having a lot of fun, working on a Wizard Ranger sorta build, wearing light armor and wielding Wand/Grim + Dual Pistols." This flexibility in character building seems to be hitting the sweet spot for many RPG fans.

The Bottom Line

In a gaming landscape where "multiplayer or bust" often seems to be the prevailing philosophy, Obsidian's decision to keep Avowed single-player represents a commitment to quality over trends. As they might say in gaming circles, "They're playing the long game, not just chasing what's hot right now."

While Avowed is avowed multiplayer-free, it's shaping up to be exactly what Obsidian fans have been waiting for - a deep, immersive RPG that doesn't compromise on storytelling or player agency. Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones we take alone.