Although the surprise delays of Starfield and Redfall have thrown expectations up in the air, the upcoming Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase is bound to be exciting. Lots of Microsoft's subsidiary studios like Obsidian Entertainment have big games in development, so there's a lot of potential for reveals, announcements, and surprises. Obsidian itself may be able to supply a worthwhile surprise for the showcase with the help of Pentiment, a new RPG that it reportedly has in development. Rumors about Pentiment first surfaced in late 2021, meaning enough time may have passed for Obsidian to present the game at the showcase.
Obsidian hasn't confirmed Pentiment's existence just yet, but supposedly the RPG takes heavy inspiration from Disco Elysium, prioritizing character dialogue and personality mechanics over combat. It's also seemingly being led by Josh Sawyer, who has earned a place as an Obsidian mainstay for directing Fallout: New Vegas and the Pillars of Eternity games. While it's largely a mystery, Pentiment would be an excellent game to include in the showcase. As long as Obsidian Entertainment's other projects aren't keeping it too busy to reveal something new, Pentiment would be an excellent candidate for shaking up the variety of games that might appear at the upcoming showcase.
Why Pentiment Should Join the Showcase
Pentiment would be a great candidate for the showcase because of its reported relationship with action. Xbox Game Studios affiliates have no shortage of action-heavy games in development. Whether it's The Initiative's reboot of Perfect Dark, Playground Games' Fable revival, or even Obsidian's own Outer Worlds sequel, there are plenty of combat-driven games that could populate the Xbox and Bethesda showcase. While it's great for the Xbox Series X to offer fans lots of ways to leap into battle, the console ought to have some more contemplative exclusives as well.
If the reports about Pentiment are true, then that's exactly what it could supply. In the vein of Disco Elysium, players will interact with the world by investigating their surroundings and conversing with other characters, rather than resolving their problems with violence. Pentiment could help expand the range of the Xbox Series X with its sleuthing design while also showcasing Obsidian Entertainment's historic strength in the RPG field. Additionally, the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase would generally be better off if it features some new game announcements, rather than merely updating Xbox fans on known projects. Pentiment could help satisfy that need.
Why Obsidian's Pentiment May Not Appear
Although Pentiment would be a great game to feature at the upcoming showcase, its odds of appearing may be low. Obsidian Entertainment has a lot on its plate right now. It's still working on major updates for Grounded, and it also has Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 to worry about. Pentiment may be too far off to discuss at the upcoming showcase; Obsidian's priorities may lie with more pressing games. What's more, fans also have to remember that Pentiment may not exist at all. Until Obsidian Entertainment reveals it properly, Pentiment's existence remains in doubt.
Regardless of Pentiment's chances of making an appearance, the Xbox-Bethesda showcase would be a great time to reveal it. The Xbox Series X needs more games like Pentiment, and the delay of Starfield and Redfall creates a distinct possibility for other games to steal the show. Whether it takes the spotlight or not, though, a Pentiment reveal would be great simply as confirmation that the game exists. Obsidian Entertainment has already been pushing its boundaries extensively with new ventures in the RPG genre, and Pentiment would serve as an excellent source of assurance that Obsidian isn't done pushing its own boundaries. Experimentation with new ideas will keep both Obsidian's work and the Xbox Series X as a whole fresh, so hopefully Pentiment will rear its head.
Pentiment is rumored to be in development.