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[Buggy Loop]

None of the games you mentioned were pitched as their own take on Skyrim.

Avowed was originally pitched as Obsidian's take on Skyrim

When Avowed was announced three years ago, the comparisons to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim were everywhere and inevitabl…

www.rockpapershotgun.com

If you are trying to make your own Skyrim, people will compare.

Guess what, the project also started as 4 player online coop

Nobody gives a shit, the director changes, the direction changed

Meantime for a couple of years

Avowed's devs tap the it's not Skyrim sign for the third time in a year (at least), and 'don't love' to compare games, anyway

It has been 0 days since the last workplace comparison.

www.pcgamer.com

"iS iT skYrIm??"

 

[MagiusNecros]

Only thing I don't like about the game is the flashlight. It illuminates such a small area and it's light is so weak too. And you'll rarely notice it in 3rd person.

 

[Buggy Loop]

It shouldn't be too long until obsidian is shut down

I doubt it. You buy obsidian knowing full well they are niche. They're the studios with the most releases so far.

We're nowhere near knowing what's the game's "success" long term with gamepass, sales, etc.

Microsoft, like Laura Loomer said, needs studios that get to finish line. 7 years for a demo not representative of final game like Perfect dark's case is not delivering. Releasing Pentiment, Avowed, Grounded 2 and Outer world 2 in such a small timeframe is delivering.

 

[PeteBull]

I doubt it. You buy obsidian knowing full well they are niche. They're the studios with the most releases so far.

We're nowhere near knowing what's the game's "success" long term with gamepass, sales, etc.

Microsoft, like Laura Loomer said, needs studios that get to finish line. 7 years for a demo not representative of final game like Perfect dark's case is not delivering. Releasing Pentiment, Avowed, Grounded 2 and Outer world 2 in such a small timeframe is delivering.

I wish obsidian the best, aka making/launching games that are not woke and of high quality, examples: kotor2 and fallout:nv.

Im sure those will sell properly to wider audience which ultimately is needed for AAA game to be a success, Obsidian games arent AA niche products anymore with tens if not hundreds milions of usd budget so they gotta sell solid few milion of copies durning launch window(aka full price) to make profit.
When some1 invests 100m usd over 5years game is made, they need to make back not the same 100m usd, but around 2x as much so 200m usd in profit(not revenue, profit) and quickly- right after game launched- aka durning launch window.

 

[calico]

I think they would like to get Obsidian to a point where they are capable of handling Bethesda's (massively more popular) IP (without Bethesda having to do all the work first) so they aren't only getting one release from those per decade (a waste of the IP).

Microsoft may not be overly concerned about the apparent declining popularity of Obsidian's games, so long as their competence appears to be improving. The popularity issue will be addressed simply by giving them TES or Fallout, they just want to be confident Obsidian can be trusted not to burn an actually valuable franchise to the ground when that happens.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Lock in.

50/50 chance whether it'll do better than Avowed. I think it'll edge past Avowed but not by much.

 

[Gonzito]

I hate Woke stuff. I hate Microsoft.

This game is brilliant.

Same here. I am loving the game and even the writing which is the last thing I would expect to like from them

 

[DeathtoPigeons]

I doubt it. You buy obsidian knowing full well they are niche. They're the studios with the most releases so far.

We're nowhere near knowing what's the game's "success" long term with gamepass, sales, etc.

Microsoft, like Laura Loomer said, needs studios that get to finish line. 7 years for a demo not representative of final game like Perfect dark's case is not delivering. Releasing Pentiment, Avowed, Grounded 2 and Outer world 2 in such a small timeframe is delivering.

I agree. These guys are the perfect AA studio. As you said, they know how to finish their games in a timely manner.

 

[Bernkastel]

Guess what, the project also started as 4 player online coop

Nobody gives a shit, the director changes, the direction changed

Meantime for a couple of years

Avowed's devs tap the it's not Skyrim sign for the third time in a year (at least), and 'don't love' to compare games, anyway

It has been 0 days since the last workplace comparison.

www.pcgamer.com

"iS iT skYrIm??"

ohh sweet. Throughout the development they kept promoting it as their own Skyrim hyping up everyone. And then just before release they were like "This is not Skyrim". People will ofcourse compare.

 

[Jigsaah]

I figured maybe I'd try it. First five seconds into the opening trailer. Girl boss with a crew cut and a baritone voice with a beta male counterpart barking orders/

This is just...so exhausting.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I figured maybe I'd try it. First five seconds into the opening trailer. Girl boss with a crew cut and a baritone voice with a beta male counterpart barking orders/

This is just...so exhausting.

Yup, I thought that clip was just some promo trailer but it's actually the opening of the game.

Anyway it's down to the #12 top seller on Steam. Clair Obscur is still outselling it and now has more concurrent players. Looking like a big bomba.

 

[Jigsaah]

Yup, I thought that clip was just some promo trailer but it's actually the opening of the game.

Anyway it's down to the #12 top seller on Steam. Clair Obscur is still outselling it and now has more concurrent players. Looking like a big bomba.

Maybe it's good. I mean BG3 is woke as hell and I love that game. Somehow I doubt this one gets a pass from me.

 

[Baemono]

Somehow I doubt this one gets a pass from me.

But it might get a game pass

 

[adamsapple]

ohh sweet. Throughout the development they kept promoting it as their own Skyrim hyping up everyone. And then just before release they were like "This is not Skyrim". People will ofcourse compare.

"Through out the development"

Bro, your own shared article is dated 2023, a full TWO YEARS before the game came out and around the mid-point of its development cycle.

---



I'm fascinated how just outright lying is such an easy second-nature to some of y'all.

 

[Plague Doctor]

Yup, I thought that clip was just some promo trailer but it's actually the opening of the game.

Anyway it's down to the #12 top seller on Steam. Clair Obscur is still outselling it and now has more concurrent players. Looking like a big bomba.

Escape from Duckov is more fun than it has any right to be. I understand why it's a breakout success.


All it needs is a co op mode.

 

[calico]

It wasn't necessarily deliberate, but it was kinda like a front page accusation and then a retraction buried on page 12. The perception of Avowed being like Skyrim persisted because nobody was paying any attention to this game after the reveal trailer (where people got the impression it would be like Skyrim), until the controversies reminded people it existed.

The misconception people had probably helped them, and I think in this case the controversies helped them too.

New peak btw: 14k

 

[Kacho]

It wasn't necessarily deliberate, but it was kinda like a front page accusation and then a retraction buried on page 12. The perception of Avowed being like Skyrim persisted because nobody was paying any attention to this game after the reveal trailer (where people got the impression it would be like Skyrim), until the controversies reminded people it existed.

This is accurate.

 

[Buggy Loop]

ohh sweet. Throughout the development they kept promoting it as their own Skyrim hyping up everyone. And then just before release they were like "This is not Skyrim". People will ofcourse compare.

No, for years they were saying it's not skyrim

Your little fucked up twists on everything we say is annoying as fuck.

 

[winjer]

Seems like the game will break over 16K CCU

 

[Mayar]

Seems like the game will break over 16K CCU

Don't spoil the mood in the topic, I've already called the orchestra

 

[Danny22]

This games is dope.
I'm constantly suprised how many ways there are to get into locations or the ways to solve quests. You often can play both sides, and never really align with anyone. Fantastic stuff.


This game is great and it's truly sad that this is most likely the end for Obsidian. Yeah, they released it at a bad time but the endless circle jerk of talking about wokeness etc. does the game no favours. This is a case where quality does NOT move copies.

Why would this be the end of Obsidian, theyre one of the only Microsoft studio that actually release games.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Why would this be the end of Obsidian, theyre one of the only Microsoft studio that actually release games.

Low Impact games. No worth for MS, they want $1B game releases

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Why would this be the end of Obsidian, theyre one of the only Microsoft studio that actually release games.

Because there's no way in hell this game is making its 30% accountability margin if it does sub-Avowed sales #s

 

[damidu]

yeah you shouldnt worry about obsidian yet i think, they are at least prolific and serving a somewhat consistent niche.
of course its micrsoft. some big brain can always question why they cant do fallout or bg3 numbers.

doublefine on the other hand, if you have this to show for 5 years of work, i dont know. literally "dozens of us, the game"

 

[Thief1987]

yeah you shouldnt worry about obsidian yet i think, they are at least prolific and serving a somewhat consistent niche.
of course its micrsoft. some big brain can always question why they cant do fallout or bg3 numbers.

doublefine on the other hand, if you have this to show for 5 years of work, i dont know. literally dozens of us, the game

But that game was developed by two studio's janitors in their spare time, so it's okay

 

[DenchDeckard]

I think the games going to do relatively well overall.

I've spoken to a few mates who are playing it and my Xbox live friends list has the majority of them playing it. I think it's doing pretty well on gamepass.

Game is flipping great so I hope the word of mouth ends up being positive and MS takes notice.

 

[Bernkastel]

"Through out the development"

Bro, your own shared article is dated 2023, a full TWO YEARS before the game came out and around the mid-point of its development cycle.

---



I'm fascinated how just outright lying is such an easy second-nature to some of y'all.

They were pitching it as Skyrim like since 2018

https://archive.is/fuqtb#selection-1707.46-1719.71

Obsidian presented prospective buyers with a pitch for Avowed, which the company hoped would be its magnum opus: a cross between Destiny and Skyrim that allowed players to adventure together in a massive fantasy world.

And the article I mentioned from 2023 still has studio executives calling it Skyrim like.

No, for years they were saying it's not skyrim

Your little fucked up twists on everything we say is annoying as fuck.

Naturally when devs compare their game with Skyrim for most of the dev cycle this will happen

Playing Avowed feels like an Obsidian RPG with Skyrim-like combat, dialog options that reflect your build, and newbie-friendly fantasy lore

Preview | I cast spells as a mage, clobbered enemies as a barbarian, and learned more about the Pillars of Eternity universe

www.gamesradar.com

Xbox-Exclusive Avowed Is Like Skyrim Plus One Of The Last Decade's Best Sci-Fi Movies

Playing an hour of Avowed revealed a dense game with responsive dual-wielding combat and the kind of storytelling Obsidian is known for.

www.gamespot.com

https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/avowed-hands-on-a-funnier-skyrim-successor-for-fantasy-fans/

https://mein-mmo.de/en/the-rpg-avowed-could-finally-fill-the-gap-left-by-skyrim,1200844/

Hands On With Avowed, Xbox's Skyrim-Inspired RPG

The action-packed role-playing game comes to Xbox Series X/S and PC on Feb. 18.

au.pcmag.com

They were thinking of copying Skyrim most of the dev time, so everyone noticed aspects copied from Skyrim.

 

[adamsapple]

They were pitching it as Skyrim like since 2018

https://archive.is/fuqtb#selection-1707.46-1719.71

Yeah, and the game got a full reboot by early 2021.

Even so, it was still failing to coalesce. By January, the studio had decided to replace the project's leadership team and reboot the game.

And the article I mentioned from 2023 still has studio executives calling it Skyrim like

In reference to the original pitch which was rebooted two years before that 2023 article, which itself is two years before the game actually came out.

So any and all Skyrim pretenses were finished a full 4 years before the game's calendar release date in 2025.

Speaking to PC Gamer, Urquhart said Obsidian were originally pitching "in essence, our Skyrim", but over the course of development the studio rethought their plans for Avowed. "Bethesda makes an awesome Skyrim. What we do is make our awesome RPGs, right?" Urquhart said. The studio then pivoted from the huge open world vision they initially had for the game and decided to focus on storytelling instead.

tl;dr, when you say "Throughout the development they kept promoting it as their own Skyrim"

You are wrong and that is a lie.

 

[Bernkastel]

I think the games going to do relatively well overall.

I've spoken to a few mates who are playing it and my Xbox live friends list has the majority of them playing it. I think it's doing pretty well on gamepass.

Game is flipping great so I hope the word of mouth ends up being positive and MS takes notice.

'

But these are not day one releases and released years after home console release. And vast majority of the fans of these series are in Playstation.

 

[Bernkastel]

Yeah, and the game got a full reboot by early 2021.






In reference to the original pitch which was rebooted two years before that 2023 article, which itself is two years before the game actually came out.

So any and all Skyrim pretenses were finished a full 4 years before the game's calendar release date in 2025.




tl;dr, when you say "Throughout the development they kept promoting it as their own Skyrim"

You are wrong and that is a lie.

The game got rebooted in early 2021 to not be Obsidian's Skyrim?
Why is Jez saying this in October 2021?

Details on Xbox exclusive Avowed: The Outer Worlds meets medieval fantasy

There are more reasons than ever to be excited about Xbox Game Studios' future.

www.windowscentral.com

We were told Avowed will feature multiple class playstyles and borrow from Skyrim's two-handed combat system. You could wield two daggers and be a stealthy rogue, or dive into archery with a two-handed bow. You could use a combination of swords and magic, or go full two-handed magic, which is required to wield some of the game's more potent spells and abilities.

So the Obsidian devs are still telling Jez that it is like Skyrim.

 

[adamsapple]

The game got rebooted in early 2021 to not be Obsidian's Skyrim?
Why is Jez saying this in October 2021?

Details on Xbox exclusive Avowed: The Outer Worlds meets medieval fantasy

There are more reasons than ever to be excited about Xbox Game Studios' future.

www.windowscentral.com

So the Obsidian devs are still telling Jez that it is like Skyrim.

Obsidian and Patel both confirmed the 2021 reboot and taking the focus away from a big single world like Skyrim into zones and more focus on story-telling.

This is mentioned in your own shared Bloomberg article.

Googling "Avowed Skyrim" and posting anything you find isn't helping your failing argument much.

 

[Bernkastel]

Obsidian and Patel both confirmed the 2021 reboot and taking the focus away from a big single world like Skyrim into zones and more focus on story-telling.

This is mentioned in your own shared Bloomberg article.

Googling "Avowed Skyrim" and posting anything you find isn't helping your failing argument much.

That article came out in 2025 after the game release. Until the release Microsoft's official paid leakers were calling it Skyrim clone. Schreier may have used Patel's excuse, but I was Jez calling it a Skyrim clone in October 2021?

 

[adamsapple]

That article came out in 2025 after the game release. Until the release Microsoft's official paid leakers were calling it Skyrim clone. Schreier may have used Patel's excuse, but I was Jez calling it a Skyrim clone in October 2021?

Oh so now you're disagreeing with the bloomberg article that you shared in this topic as a gotcha earlier, because it's gone onto prove you wrong.

And now you trust Jez ???

Also Jez as usual rushing to deny the rumour

Jez is lying again.

Oh, and Jez didn't even say it's a skyrim-like, he said it borrows two handed combat mechanics, yeah Skyrim wasn't the first WRPG to use two handed combat mechanics either. You can dual-wield all the way back in Baldur's Gate too.

There really is no rhyme or reason to how much you're willing to pivot to continue this failing argument.

 

[Bernkastel]

Oh so now you're disagreeing with the bloomberg article that you shared in this topic as a gotcha earlier, because it's gone onto prove you wrong.

And now you trust Jez ???

no I meant its pretty funny that you are using a 2025 post release article.

• Patel told Schreier after the game released in 2025 that it has not been a Skyrim like since early 2021
• Obsidian devs told Jez in Octobber 2021 that combat was like Skyrim

Also after getting hands on most people admitted the combat and feel was like Skyrim.

Playing Avowed feels like an Obsidian RPG with Skyrim-like combat, dialog options that reflect your build, and newbie-friendly fantasy lore

Preview | I cast spells as a mage, clobbered enemies as a barbarian, and learned more about the Pillars of Eternity universe

www.gamesradar.com

Xbox-Exclusive Avowed Is Like Skyrim Plus One Of The Last Decade's Best Sci-Fi Movies

Playing an hour of Avowed revealed a dense game with responsive dual-wielding combat and the kind of storytelling Obsidian is known for.

www.gamespot.com

https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/avowed-hands-on-a-funnier-skyrim-successor-for-fantasy-fans/ https://mein-mmo.de/en/the-rpg-avowed-could-finally-fill-the-gap-left-by-skyrim,1200844/

Hands On With Avowed, Xbox's Skyrim-Inspired RPG

The action-packed role-playing game comes to Xbox Series X/S and PC on Feb. 18.

au.pcmag.com

We were being told Skyrim like for so long.

 

[calico]

Almost 17k

 

[adamsapple]

no I meant its pretty funny that you are using a 2025 post release article.

• Patel told Schreier after the game released in 2025 that it has not been a Skyrim like since early 2021
• Obsidian devs told Jez in Octobber 2021 that combat was like Skyri

I didn't even bring up that article in this discussion, you did I'm quoting using the information gleamed from that article. It's funny how you're distancing yourself from it now, lol.

And it's a retrospective interview with Carrie Patel, the director, after the game's release. Of course an article/interview like that would give development insight you wouldn't have beforehand.

We were being told Skyrim like for so long.

Already debunked multiple times on this very page.

Since you don't seem to be aware, Avowed is set in the Pillars of Eternity universe and those games have also had dual-wielding combat, so it's borrowing from its own franchise history in that regard.

Almost 17k

 

[Denton]

Sunday is usually when games are peaking, so there is still a chance it will overtake Avowed, albeit I would not bet on it. But given that Avowed bombed, I am really not particularly optimistic about Obsidian.

 

[diffusionx]

I doubt it. You buy obsidian knowing full well they are niche. They're the studios with the most releases so far.

We're nowhere near knowing what's the game's "success" long term with gamepass, sales, etc.

Microsoft, like Laura Loomer said, needs studios that get to finish line. 7 years for a demo not representative of final game like Perfect dark's case is not delivering. Releasing Pentiment, Avowed, Grounded 2 and Outer world 2 in such a small timeframe is delivering.

Microsoft is not operating their division the way they were when they bought it.

 

[Bernkastel]

And it's a retrospective interview with Carrie Patel, the director, after the game's release. Of course an article/interview like that would give development insight you wouldn't have beforehand.

But you are quoting it as if the source as if the source is from 2021. Its not.

Already debunked multiple times on this very page.

Why did Jez say devs told him combat was like Skyrim?

Why did everyone who got hands on in 2024 say combat and feel is like Skyrim?

Warrior you are putting up a good fight. But.

'

But these are not day one releases and released years after home console release. And vast majority of the fans of these series are in Playstation.

 

[adamsapple]

But you are quoting it as if the source as if the source is from 2021. Its not.

Because the director of the game is telling the reader about the game's reboot in 2021.

Again, it's all included in the article that you shared which you are not so subtly distancing yourself from.

Strike 1.

Why did Jez say devs told him combat was like Skyrim?

Do you read the links you post yourself? Honest question.

Jez's article says "Sources familiar with internal plans" told him this, he does not say anywhere that the devs told him that.

Sources familiar with internal plans have reached out to us in recent months offering details on Avowed

Strike 2.

Why did everyone who got hands on in 2024 say combat and feel is like Skyrim?

Because there's no accounting for websites wanting a snazzy SEO friendly title?

Best Games Like Skyrim

These games are must tries for those who love The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Bethesda's ambitious 2011 RPG.

gamerant.com

Best Games Like Skyrim To Play In 2025

There's no game quite like Skyrim, but this list brings together the best options if you're looking for something new to play on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or PC.

www.gamespot.com

Best games like Skyrim 2025

From Starfield to The Witcher 3, we have this list of the best games like Skyrim on PC to scratch that same open-world RPG itch fans love.

www.pcgamesn.com

If you follow these website for "skyrim likes", you can include Kingdom Come Deliverance, Witcher 3, Dragon's Dogma 2 as on your list as well.

Strike 3.

Warrior you are putting up a good fight. But.

Not sure what that has to do with me praising Outer Worlds' CCU but ..

 

[winjer]

Almost 17k

Seems to have peaked at 16,979.
Maybe tomorrow....

 

[The Mad Draklor]

Avowed peaked at 18,658 on its first Saturday. Looks like TOW2 will fall short of 17K. Doesn't look good.

 

[Vlodril]

Avowed peaked at 18,658 on its first Saturday. Looks like TOW2 will fall short of 17K. Doesn't look good.

At this point it's how big a bomba is it going to be. Regardless of the quality of the game MS can't be happy with that. Obsidian did really well with Grounded though i think so maybe they should focus on that.

 

[LectureMaster]

Because the director of the game is telling the reader about the game's reboot in 2021.

Again, it's all included in the article that you shared which you are not so subtly distancing yourself from.

Strike 1.



Do you read the links you post yourself? Honest question.

Jez's article says "Sources familiar with internal plans" told him this, he does not say anywhere that the devs told him that.





Strike 2.




Because there's no accounting for websites wanting a snazzy SEO friendly title?

Best Games Like Skyrim

These games are must tries for those who love The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Bethesda's ambitious 2011 RPG.

gamerant.com

Best Games Like Skyrim To Play In 2025

There's no game quite like Skyrim, but this list brings together the best options if you're looking for something new to play on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or PC.

www.gamespot.com

Best games like Skyrim 2025

From Starfield to The Witcher 3, we have this list of the best games like Skyrim on PC to scratch that same open-world RPG itch fans love.

www.pcgamesn.com

If you follow these website for "skyrim likes", you can include Kingdom Come Deliverance, Witcher 3, Dragon's Dogma 2 as on your list as well.

Strike 3.



Not sure what that has to do with me praising Outer Worlds' CCU but ..

I'm with my man Adam, ignore the pointless argument, just enjoy the game.

 

[adamsapple]

I'm with my man Adam, ignore the pointless argument, just enjoy the game.

There's already multiple converts from this topic in the OT who are loving the game. I'm currently doing some forced family gatherings on the weekend but would love to have been playing it instead

Any chance my man LectureMaster wil be interested in checking out as well?

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

Had a go of it last night on GO. Not really a fan of the style or humour, so dropped it pretty quick. Much preferred Avowed from them.

 

[Kacho]

Doesn't look good.

I knew it wasn't going to do great but I didn't expect it to do this poorly. Seems like a lot of the people that played the first game chose not to bother with this one.

 

[Ultralow35]

Im confused do we only want sony making consoles and kill the gaming market,do we want everything micosoft to fell??? I really want to know why all the doom and gloom??



//

 

[The Mad Draklor]

At this point it's how big a bomba is it going to be. Regardless of the quality of the game MS can't be happy with that. Obsidian did really well with Grounded though i think so maybe they should focus on that.

And Grounded 2 beat Grounded 1 in terms of peak CCU by a sizeable margin. Meanwhile, TOW2 likely won't match the peak CCU of the first game that didn't release on Steam until a year after being on Epic.

 

[PeteBull]

Im confused do we only want sony making consoles and kill the gaming market,do we want everything micosoft to fell??? I really want to know why all the doom and gloom??



//

MS had some blockbuster games this gen, to not look far starfield with its 330k ccu- no idea how many copies sold but likely somewhere between 5 and 10m even tho it wasnt on ps5(and from the leaks we know ps5 version is coming so even more sales gonna happen), not to mention best MS game this gen(even tho it was crossgen)- forza horizon 5, very high quality, and great sales too including 4years late ps5 port.

Its on microsoft when their products arent high quality enough to sell well, not on any1 else, and lets not forget we got TES6 trailer in june 2018, aka over 7 fucking years ago- its fricken time we get more info about that game, ppl are hyped/want new proper mainline elder scrolls game.

Even that short teaser trailer did over 20m views with 432k likes to only 11k dislikes ratio(aka extremly positive reception- ppl have high hopes for it):


If MS/Bethesda wont fuck it up they will easly get 20m copies seller even despite day1 gamepass, elder scrolls is a game u buy(and worship for long years), not just sub to for a month or two on expensive subscription service that gamepass became recently

Edit: legit official info starfield broke 15m players in nov 2024

News Sales-Age  Thread 'Starfield Surpasses 15 Million Players (November Update Now Available)'

Nov 19, 2024

Thank you to the over 15 million players who are adventuring through the stars in Starfield!

We're thrilled that so many of you have embarked on this journey with us, and we appreciate your feedback. We are always looking for ways to improve your experience playing the game and wanted to give our community an update on the most recent adjustments we've made to Starfield.

Quality of Life Improvements

Starfield's November Update is now live! In this update, we've made some performance and stability improvements for all platforms and reintroduced the...​

• Thick Thighs Save Lives
• Replies: 61
• Forum: Gaming Discussion

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So even if we assume 5m of those were on gamepass we still got genuine 10m copies sold right there...