In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Carrie Patel, the second game director of Avowed , shed light on the chaotic development process that led to the discarding of two years' worth of work. At its inception, Obsidian Entertainment envisioned Avowed as a fusion of Destiny and Skyrim , aiming to combine cooperative exploration of a massive open world with engaging multiplayer elements.

The first teaser trailer, unveiled in 2020, generated excitement among fans but masked the reality: the actual game was nowhere near completion. Just months later, the decision was made to scrap the entire project and start anew. Consequently, the teaser now stands as a relic of an unreleased prototype bearing no resemblance to the final product.

Following the reboot, Carrie Patel assumed the role of game director and redefined the project. She abandoned the earlier influences of Skyrim and Destiny , shifting away from open-world design and multiplayer features. Instead, Obsidian embraced their signature zone-based structure and focused on crafting a compelling single-player story rooted in the lore of Pillars of Eternity .

Restarting mid-development created immense challenges, akin to producing a film without a screenplay. Teams worked tirelessly under uncertain conditions as the leadership team struggled to establish a cohesive vision. Despite these hurdles, the development spanned another four years before Avowed finally reached its release.

Main image: steamcommunity.com 

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