About a year ago, Obsidian's CEO gave an interview to PC Gamer regarding Avowed where he stated that "Originally we were pitching, in essence, [Obsidian's] Skyrim," but that this changed midway through to a smaller experience that would mirror The Outer Worlds in scope. This comes with the explanation that Obsidian would rather focus on strength as storytellers over all else.
And yet, we know that Obsidian also proposed creating a Skyrim spinoff game that was ultimately rejected by Bethesda. And, of course, their most widely -known and beloved game is still Fallout: New Vegas, which had both a fantastic narrative and a very engaging open world. Most of their output since then has been niche by comparison.
To me, a lot of Obsidian's CEO's stance in the 2023 article comes off as making the best of a bad situation. They wanted to make a huge, Skyrim-style game, but weren't given the resources to do so, and so they adapted by reducing Avowed's scope to fit the budget and team they had.
This is tragic, especially given how far off TESVI is and how Starfield floundered shortly after release. I fully expect Avowed to be a good game, but it will probably be one that fails to capture the zeitgeist or leave a lasting impression, much like The Outer Worlds before it (and, most likely, the upcoming Outer Worlds 2 as well).
Obsidian is absolutely capable of making the next Skyrim, Witcher 3 or Elden Ring. They are capable of making the next New Vegas. And they clearly have the ambition to do so, based on the pitches they've made in the past. Microsoft needs to give them the budget and team to make this a reality.
31 Comments
Avowed: The Skyrim we have at home
I honestly have to wonder with the explosion in Fallout popularity from the Amazon show if MS is going to put pressure on Bethesda to get another game in production even if they have to farm the IP out to another studio.
Obsidian best game is fallout new Vegas, which was built upon fallout 3 with minor adjustments to the core mechanics. Obsidian has already failed to come back with the outer worlds, whick was ok but kinda boring and forgettable. Why would you givem the budget while they still need to make a profitable important game on their own?
Everyone wants to think that because obsidian is owned by MS that they have a blank check but when you examine most of MS’ lineup it becomes clear that they’re *very* apprehensive about funding huge AAA games, especially single player only ones.
As for the statement about them being capable of making the next mega game I have to disagree with that. New Vegas is one of the best RPGs ever but that was a really long time ago, a lot of the people that made that game great left the company. I’ve played every game they’ve made since NV (even dungeon siege 3!) and I see a company that’s lost most of their mojo. That’s not to say they make trash (well…except outer worlds maybe) but their status of being RPG kings is long gone.
Feels like Obsidian is in this weird space where they were supposed to be able to finally move into the AAA space with MS resources but they’re still acting as a AA team. Avowed looks great but with the next ES so far away that original promise of “Obsidian’s Skyrim” sounded pretty sweet.
The hay day of Obsidian is long gone. Their best talent has left, Outer worlds was disappointing and their newest game to release is not lookin too hot either.
Has to be the next Josh Sawyer game. Given that greenlighting Pentiment as a passion project was essentially a way to keep Josh at the studio, he’s probably working on an existing IP and/or something more traditional for Obsidian.
Obsidian isn’t the Obsidian that made New Vegas.
I thought Outer Worlds was one of the worst games I’ve ever played.
Obsidian should make a profit-focused game that make enough money to cover a development of their dream game three times
I would love another Obsidian open world game, even another Fallout since NV is my favorite. I would hope whatever they do, Josh Sawyer is a big part of it cause I really like his design philosophy and taste. He just knows how to make good games.
Grounded is fantastic! I’d be happy with a sequel to that if they can’t work on any more Fallout.
As much as I like New Vegas, I don’t agree that it had an “engaging open world”. Great worldbuilding sure, but not a great worldspace. To me it felt like a lot of hubs connected with a whole load of nothingness. It was really lacking interesting landscapes and random encounters.
So personally I’m not dissapointed they are going for zone based system instead of an open world system
They were making Avowed as a big open world game but they themselves decided it’s better to play to their strengths than to make an open world game, it’s not that they don’t have a budget, it’s that they don’t want to do it.
That’s a lot of conjecture and nowhere in that interview did he once bring up budget. It sounded more like that they wanted to figure what their identity was and what makes their games good and how to do that with Avowed.
It sounds like they purposely pulled back, so that they could tell a better story, which makes a lot of sense. Think about all of Bethesda’s games, the story and plot are super simple, and not really that important in the grand scheme of things. You play Skyrim for the freedom and the mods. Obsidian doesn’t want that, they want to focus on storytelling.
Now, you could be right still, but that article doesn’t come off that way to me at all.
Outer Worlds was so bad… That was obsidian?? Damn.
They need to prove they can finish a game first.
Do you not know what Avowed is?
Obsidian has literally been working on this for years and it’s coming out soon.
But I don’t want the next Skyrim, Witcher 3, or Elden Ring. I’m tired of these cliche fantasy RPGs.
Pretty much all Obsidian Games are small budget Games.
Outer Worlds was done in 18 months with a tiny team and budget. It was just contract work for TakeTwo.
Everyone’s saying that Outer Worlds was weak like if it’s the last game Obsidian made when Grounded was a pretty great Open World Survival RPG.
I really really like obsidian and they just are never given the time or the money to fine tune their ideas. I really hoped this Microsoft thing would change that but it doesn’t seem like it. They really are capable of being one of the greats but I don’t know why they keep getting held back. Look at alpha protocol. If that would have gotten like another two years in the oven it would be iconic
I’d rather have Pillars of Eternity 3.
Gamepass = Smaller games
it has taken a long time to make avowed, a smaller game. given MS scramble for cash id bet obsidian will more than likely help Bethesda make the new fallout or a much smaller game on their own.
People rave about New Vegas, but Outer Worlds was really the highlight for me. I stumbled upon the game by chance and it was so cool to play through. It was essentially a better version of Starfield. It was “space exploration” just enough that you walked across very different worlds, but not as huge and generic as Starfield. I really digged it and can’t wait for Outer Worlds 2 to release.
I originally thought something was happening…like when Tango and those other studios closed…in the wording some of the staff we being put on other projects…I had hoped that the Fallout 3 remaster was near done and that team along with the extra staff would be put on a new Fallout…maybe there are for all we know but using Fallout 3 is a learning op before they go onto a bigger game.
Definitely feel there is pressure for Bethesda to either move staff around or extend the studio to work on both ES6 and Fallout 5 at the same time cuz one at a time is not good enough these days.
As for Obsidian. Looking forward to The Outer worlds 2 and loved New Vegas. It would be cool to see them do a Skyrim or a new Fallout in their style, humor.
But also like to see them attempt something new
Yeah, me too. Got the appetite, just need the budget and support.
I just don’t want Obsidian to go back to making spin-offs of other developers IPs. I’ve really enjoyed Pillars 1+2, Tyranny, the Outer Worlds and Grounded.
Grounded in particular shows they have the talent to branch into other genres. I want to see them continue to grow into their own studio, so if they do a huge AAA style game I hope it’s their own.
An Alpha Protocol sequel with a AAA budget is probably my dream game.
Give them Elder Scrolls 6. Please, I just need that game to be good, and I don’t trust Bethesda anymore. Let them pull a New Vegas with the ES series
The main issues with Obsidian are a lack of resources (which shouldn’t be a thing now that Microsoft owns), and frankly, bad management at the top. Not as bad as Interplay/Black Isle, but still bad.
Lord of the rings please.
Still waiting for the white council back in 2009 or something.