Without a doubt, Avowed is on the top of many gamers’ most anticipated Xbox-exclusive list. Not too much is officially known though, but its reveal trailer did what marketing does best and built a ton of hype. Many have compared it to Skyrim, suggesting that if The Outer Worlds is Obsidian Entertainment’s take on Fallout, then Avowed is that to Skyrim.

This recently came up in conversation between YouTuber Boxenberger and Windows Central reporter/Microsoft Insider Jez Corden. During a stream on the former’s channel, Corden discussed Avowed to some length and what he expects based on footage he’s seen, as well as potential reveals and release date.

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Jez saw a build of Avowed that dates back to, he approximates, May or so of last year. This makes sense as Obsidian Entertainment’s Josh Sawyer said Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, and his project were all in playable states. Jez, as seen in the video below, discusses some of the Living Lands, the magic of Avowed, and stealth, warrior, and ranged gameplay. Notably, because of how good Avowed looked in the build he sees, he expects more of the game this year and next. This can be seen around the 1:12 timestamp below.

Specifically, he believes fans will see Avowed this year. It originally seemed unlikely as many believed it would be a mid-2020s release, especially as Starfield is set to dominate this holiday season for Xbox, but Corden believes otherwise based on what he’s seen. This means Microsoft could have a big E3 with Starfield and Avowed taking center stage, and this is especially true if Corden’s release date prediction is accurate.

Based on what he’s seen, the developer count at Obsidian, and other factors, Corden believes Avowed will release in Q1 or Q2 2023. If so, Starfield and Avowed could very well be the one-two punch that Microsoft needs in late 2022/2023. It does remain to be seen, especially since development is an arduous process even when not counting in the pandemic, but this would mean more marketing and news on Avowed would be a few months away, at most.

Both Avowed and Starfield are in similar shoes. Not much is really known about either game, but fans are still hyped. This speaks to their excellent, if limited, marketing thus far, as well as the pedigree behind studios like Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda. And if these studios, and all those that Microsoft has acquired in recent years, continue to deliver excellent titles even in concept alone, the Xbox Series X gen may be remembered much more fondly than the Xbox One gen.

Avowed is in development for PC and Xbox Series X.

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