Obsidian Entertainment announced December 2, 2025, that Avowed’s planned fall update will not release in 2025 as originally promised. Instead, the developer is pushing the content to February 2026 – coinciding with the game’s first anniversary – and expanding it into what they’re calling the “biggest update yet.” The Anniversary Update will include all previously announced fall features like New Game Plus mode, Photo Mode, and a new weapon type, plus additional features that haven’t been detailed yet. This marks the first major delay in Avowed’s post-launch support, which has otherwise been impressively consistent with spring and summer updates adding Steam Deck verification, arachnophobia mode, improved enemy behaviors, custom map markers, and various quality-of-life improvements. The February 18, 2026 anniversary timing suggests Obsidian is treating this as a major content drop rather than just a patch, potentially aiming to revive interest and draw lapsed players back to the Living Lands. Obsidian has been one of gaming’s most prolific developers in 2025, launching Grounded 2 into early access in July, shipping The Outer Worlds 2 in October, and even adding a turn-based mode to the original Pillars of Eternity.
What’s in the Anniversary Update
Obsidian’s announcement confirmed several features originally planned for the fall update will now arrive in February 2026 alongside additional content. The confirmed features include:
– New Game Plus mode that lets you replay the campaign with carried-over progression
– Photo Mode for capturing screenshots of the Living Lands
– A new weapon type (not yet revealed what category)
– Ability to change your character’s appearance mid-game
– New character creation presets
– Enhanced Godlike feature presets (the supernatural character creation options)
– Additional unannounced features that will make it “the biggest update yet”
The New Game Plus mode is particularly significant because Avowed’s structure doesn’t naturally encourage multiple playthroughs. The game has a defined ending, and while there are different factions and choices affecting outcomes, the relatively short 25-30 hour campaign doesn’t have the replayability of something like Baldur’s Gate 3 or even Obsidian’s own Pillars of Eternity. New Game Plus could address this by adding difficulty modifiers, exclusive loot, or story variations that make subsequent runs feel distinct.
The character appearance change feature is a welcome quality-of-life addition. Many players create characters quickly just to start playing, then regret their choices hours later when they’re stuck looking at a poorly customized face in every cutscene. Being able to visit a barber or use some in-universe justification to alter your appearance fixes this frustration. The additional character presets and Godlike options suggest Obsidian is expanding character creation beyond what shipped at launch, possibly in response to feedback that the options felt limited compared to other CRPGs.
The Mystery Features
Obsidian’s statement that the Anniversary Update will include “additional features that will make it our biggest update yet” deliberately leaves room for speculation. What could those unannounced additions be? Possibilities include:
– Story DLC or expansion content (unlikely for a free update but possible as paid DLC announced alongside free features)
– New companion questlines or romance content
– Additional enemy types or boss encounters
– New regions to explore within the Living Lands
– Expanded gear and itemization systems
– Transmog or visual customization for equipment
– Housing or player base customization
– Harder difficulty modes or endgame challenges
The February 2026 timing aligns with when many games release their first major expansion. If Obsidian is planning paid DLC, announcing it alongside free anniversary content would be smart marketing – give loyal players free features while offering more substantial story content for purchase. The Outer Worlds 2 is already getting two promised DLC expansions, so Obsidian clearly has experience managing post-launch content pipelines across multiple projects.
Why the Delay
Obsidian’s announcement framed the delay positively – instead of a fall update, they’re making a bigger anniversary celebration. But reading between the lines, this is absolutely a delay caused by development realities. Fall 2025 is running out (it’s already December), and the update isn’t ready. Rather than rush something out to meet an arbitrary seasonal deadline, Obsidian chose to push it to a more meaningful milestone and expand scope.
This decision reflects lessons learned from previous Obsidian launches. Games like Fallout: New Vegas, Alpha Protocol, and Knights of the Old Republic 2 suffered from being rushed to market with cut content and bugs. While Avowed itself launched in solid technical shape in February 2025, the studio clearly doesn’t want to repeat past mistakes by shipping half-baked updates just to hit roadmap targets.
The delay also gives Obsidian breathing room to coordinate across their multiple active projects. With teams simultaneously supporting The Outer Worlds 2 post-launch DLC, developing Grounded 2 in early access, maintaining Avowed, and working on whatever comes next (possibly Pillars of Eternity 3?), spreading resources across that many concurrent games creates bottlenecks. Pushing Avowed’s update to February allows them to properly staff it without pulling people from other critical projects.
Obsidian’s Incredibly Busy 2025
To understand the delay, you need to appreciate just how absurdly productive Obsidian Entertainment has been in 2025. The studio launched three major releases and supported multiple live games simultaneously:
– February 2025: Avowed launched on Xbox Series X/S and PC
– Spring 2025: Avowed received its first major update adding Steam Deck verification and quality-of-life features
– July 2025: Grounded 2 entered early access
– Summer 2025: Avowed received its second major update with arachnophobia mode and gameplay improvements
– October 2025: The Outer Worlds 2 launched
– Late 2025: A turn-based mode was added to the original Pillars of Eternity
That’s an insane output for a single studio across one calendar year. Most developers struggle to ship one major release annually. Obsidian launched three distinct games (Avowed, Grounded 2, The Outer Worlds 2) plus updates to legacy titles. This productivity is only possible because Obsidian operates multiple semi-independent teams working on different projects simultaneously, but coordinating that many moving parts inevitably creates resource conflicts.
The fact that Avowed’s fall update is the first thing to slip suggests the team prioritized getting The Outer Worlds 2 out the door over Avowed post-launch support. That’s a reasonable call – a new game launch generates far more revenue and attention than updating a 10-month-old title. But it does mean Avowed players waiting for New Game Plus are paying the price for Obsidian’s ambitious multi-project pipeline.
Community Reactions
Reddit discussions show mixed reactions leaning cautiously positive. The top comment on the r/Games thread notes: “This is a cool game, glad to see it’s getting an update,” reflecting general goodwill toward Avowed despite its mixed critical reception. Many players enjoyed the game but criticized its relatively short length and limited endgame content, making the Anniversary Update’s promise of New Game Plus particularly welcome.
Some commenters express frustration with the delay, especially those who finished the game months ago and have been waiting for New Game Plus to justify a second playthrough. One user mentioned they specifically avoided finishing Avowed because they knew New Game Plus was coming and wanted to experience the ending with that mode available. Now those players face another three months of waiting.
Others appreciate Obsidian’s transparency and the decision to expand scope rather than rush a barebones update. One commenter noted: “It’s an incredibly common criticism nowadays, not just with Obsidian but with many developers, that they announce roadmaps and then fail to deliver on time. At least Obsidian is being upfront about the delay and adding more content to compensate.”
The February Launch Context
Avowed originally launched February 18, 2025, after being delayed from November 2024 to avoid competing with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and other heavy hitters. The delay proved smart – February gave Avowed room to breathe without drowning in the holiday release flood. Now the Anniversary Update on or around February 18, 2026 creates a marketing hook: “One year of Avowed, celebrate with the biggest update yet.”
This timing could also align with a potential PlayStation 5 release. Xbox exclusives typically maintain 12-month exclusivity windows before expanding to other platforms. If Microsoft and Obsidian plan to bring Avowed to PS5 in early 2026, launching the Anniversary Update simultaneously with the PS5 version would create synergy – existing Xbox/PC players get free content, new PS5 players jump into an improved version with a year of patches and updates baked in.
What This Means for Avowed’s Future
The Anniversary Update represents a critical moment for Avowed’s long-term prospects. The game reviewed well (mostly 7-8 scores) but didn’t generate the mainstream buzz of Baldur’s Gate 3 or even Elden Ring. Sales figures haven’t been disclosed, but it launched day-one on Game Pass, meaning traditional sales metrics don’t capture the full player base.
If the Anniversary Update successfully brings back lapsed players and generates positive word-of-mouth, it could extend Avowed’s content pipeline with story DLC or expansions. Obsidian clearly has more stories to tell in the Pillars of Eternity universe (Avowed is set in the same world), and the Living Lands setting leaves room for expanding beyond the base game’s regions. But if the update lands with a thud and player counts remain low, Obsidian might wrap up Avowed support and move resources entirely to The Outer Worlds 2 DLC and whatever comes next.
FAQs
When is the Avowed Anniversary Update?
February 2026, around the game’s first anniversary on February 18. Obsidian hasn’t announced an exact date yet.
What’s included in the update?
New Game Plus mode, Photo Mode, a new weapon type, character appearance changing, new character creation presets, enhanced Godlike features, and additional unannounced features making it the biggest update yet.
Why was the fall update delayed?
Obsidian said they’re expanding it into a larger anniversary celebration. Realistically, the update wasn’t ready to ship in fall 2025, and they chose to delay rather than rush.
Will it be free?
The announcement didn’t specify, but previous spring and summer updates were free. Likely the core features are free with potential paid DLC announced alongside.
What’s New Game Plus?
A mode that lets you replay the campaign with carried-over progression, typically including harder enemies, exclusive loot, or story variations to encourage multiple playthroughs.
Is Avowed getting DLC?
Not confirmed, but the Anniversary Update timing and “additional features” language suggests story DLC could be announced then, similar to how The Outer Worlds 2 has two planned expansions.
Is Avowed coming to PS5?
Not officially announced, but Xbox exclusives typically get 12-month windows. February 2026 would align with a potential PS5 launch alongside the Anniversary Update.
What other updates has Avowed gotten?
Spring update added Steam Deck verification and QOL features. Summer update added arachnophobia mode, improved enemy behaviors, custom map markers, and various fixes.
When did Avowed launch?
February 18, 2025, on Xbox Series X/S and PC. Originally planned for November 2024 but delayed to avoid holiday competition.
Conclusion
Avowed’s fall update delay to February 2026 transforms a routine patch into an anniversary celebration that could define the game’s long-term trajectory. By expanding scope and timing it with the one-year milestone, Obsidian turns a missed deadline into a marketing opportunity while buying time to properly implement features like New Game Plus that could revitalize player interest. The decision reflects a studio stretched thin across multiple simultaneous projects – Grounded 2 early access, The Outer Worlds 2 launch and DLC, legacy Pillars of Eternity support – but choosing quality over arbitrary roadmap commitments. Whether the Anniversary Update successfully brings players back to the Living Lands or represents Avowed’s last hurrah before Obsidian moves on depends entirely on what those mysterious “additional features” turn out to be. If it’s just New Game Plus and cosmetic options, that’s nice but not game-changing. If Obsidian announces meaty story DLC or substantial gameplay expansions, Avowed could have a genuine second wind. Either way, fans waiting for New Game Plus to justify another playthrough need to wait three more months beyond what was originally promised.