Avowed is selling 5 days of early access, and in a surprise twist fueled by Xbox buying everyone, Obsidian's RPG is coming to Activision Blizzard's Battle.net

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(Image credit: Microsoft)

Avowed screenshot showing hammer swinging at skeleton

Obsidian’s long-awaited fantasy RPGAvowedis now technically launching on February 13, 2025after a delay pushed it to next year,assuming you’re willing to pay $89.99 for the fancy edition with early access. It’s also coming to Battle.net,ActivisionBlizzard’s PC launcher, because Xbox is crossing the beams after a bunch of massive acquisitions.

Xbox opened pre-orders and confirmed the staggered launch in a newblog post. The Avowed Digital Standard Edition is $69.99 (or playable on Game Pass day one) and comes with the regular ol' game. The $89.99 Digital Premium Edition bundles in up to five days of early access, two premium skin packs, and a digital artbook and soundtrack. Finally, the $94.99 Premium Edition Steelbook has all of the Digital Premium Edition content plus a physical map and steelbook case, but only a digital code for the game.

You’ll have the option to upgrade to the digital premium edition for $24.99 a la carte just to get the digital goodies if you want, but obviously the early access is only good if you cash in early.

Pre-order incentives and early launches are common enough; theseparate blog postfrom Blizzard, which confirms Avowed’s impending Battle.net launch, is arguably the real head-turner in this packet of news.

Avowed will be the first non-Activision Blizzard game to come to Battle.net sinceMicrosoft acquired the company in the biggest acquisition in games industry history. It’s also one of the very few games toevercome to the launcher from outside a direct Activision or Blizzard studio. Destiny 2’s brief stay on Battle.net comes to mind, but that was back whenBungiewas still partnered with Activision, so we’re just splitting hairs either way.

You will, of course, still be able to play Avowed on Xbox or through Steam or the PC Xbox app, but a Battle.net option for this Obsidian-developed game is the kind of company smoothie that really puts a new spotlight onMicrosoft’s corporate spending spree.

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Here’s the true irony of all this. Avowed was purportedly delayed to “give players' backlogs some breathing room,” but its paid early access launch now puts it out one day beforeAssassin’s Creed Shadowsdropson February 14, and its standard release date still falls on the week beforeMonster Hunter Wildshits on February 28. Games industry, we gotta talk about February 2025. This is just getting silly now.

Avowed wasn’t delayed “because Obsidian needed the time” to improve the RPG, but rather because “they’ll use the time.”

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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

1

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

4

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

1

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2

Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

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Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Nicola Coughlan as Joy in Doctor Who Christmas special Joy to the World

1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

1

Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

2

Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

3

Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

4

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

5

Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

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