Head of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer has been doing a few end-of-year interviews as 2024 draws to a close, and unsurprisingly the mood music is bullish. Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard for $69 billion went through in October 2023, and in its first full year has seen an instant increase in the depth and strength of the publisher's lineup (though Spencer warns the PC-heavy makeup is "historical" and an "anomaly"), alongside a focus on pushing players towards Game Pass with titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
The company has such an embarrassment of riches, in fact, that Spencer says it's letting them take their time where it's needed. Obsidian's hotly anticipated Avowed, a fantasy RPG that it's desperate for people not to compare to Skyrim, was at one point scheduled for a fall 2024 release, but in August was delayed into February 2025. The reason? Microsoft said it was all about players! Giving us a chance to get through those backlogs, what kindness!
Speaking to GameFile's Stephen Totilo, Spencer re-iterates this rationale, and denies that it was down to the game being in bad shape. The latter is not some pie-in-the-sky suspicion, because Obsidian historically produces amazing RPGs that, like Alpha Protocol or New Vegas, have more than their fair share of bugs and jank.
"We can afford it when we have the Diablo expansion, then Black Ops, then Indy [-ana Jones and the Great Circle]," said Spencer. "We didn’t move it because Obsidian needed the time. They’ll use the time."
Hmmm. Spencer says that Microsoft internally is looking at the Game Pass slate, and how it's pacing out the larger releases. "Matt Booty and I, we plan it out, we talk with the Game Pass team. We say, 'Okay, what are the big launches coming in?' We also have Stalker, which isn’t even on that list [of 2024 releases], but obviously for us is a very meaningful launch. We said, ‘Okay, let's make sure we pace this out a little better."
Thing is, February 2025 might make sense when you're just looking at Game Pass in isolation. But in the wider context of the games industry February is jam-packed with big releases including Assassin's Creed Shadows, Civilization 7, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, a new Yakuza game, and Monster Hunter Wilds. It ain't a quiet month, and I'd be more concerned about Avowed getting overshadowed by any of those games than Stalker 2.
"Maybe we could do a better job pacing with some of our third party friends," said Spencer. "Because we want them all to be successful."
Ah yes, the good ship Microsoft believes in the rising tide that lifts all boats… just as long as it's the biggest fleet on the waves. Either way the rationale behind Avowed's delay feels a little euphemistic. Games on this scale don't get delayed because Xbox executives are fretting about peoples' backlogs: They get delayed because they need more time in the oven, and the suits decide it's worth it. I can certainly see why, given the lukewarm reception to something like Starfield, Microsoft wants Avowed to launch in as good condition as is possible, because this is a game with hit potential, but there's equally a chance it could be a janky 6/10 cult classic.
The good news is that, even at the moment, Avowed shouldn't shy away from those Skyrim comparisons: As PC Gamer's Phil Savage found, "the similarities are obvious, but the differences make it compelling." As a card-carrying member of the Obsidian fan club, I'm both excited and glad that Microsoft's giving the game the time it needs. I also don't understand why they can't just say that.
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