Obsidian’s Avowed Confirmed to Run at 30fps on Xbox Series X and Series S

Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming action-RPG, Avowed, has been making headlines recently due to a delay in its release date. The game is now set to launch on PC and current-gen Xbox consoles on February 18, 2025. One of the key revelations about the game is its performance on Xbox Series X and Series S, with Obsidian confirming that it will run at 30fps on both platforms.

During the ongoing Gamescom 2024 event, Obsidian shared more details about Avowed’s performance on Xbox consoles. Matt Hansen, the game’s art director, appeared on the Iron Lords Podcast and discussed the studio’s decision to target 30fps for the RPG. He explained that while some players may prefer 60fps, Obsidian opted for 30fps to improve graphical fidelity and lighting in the game.

Hansen emphasized that achieving a visually dense and smooth-running game was a priority for the development team. He mentioned that the decision to stick with 30fps was made early in the development process and that the team is satisfied with the current performance of the game. Hansen also hinted that further optimizations for performance may be made as the development nears completion.

Avowed is not the first first-party Xbox title to launch with performance locked at 30fps. Games like Starfield and Redfall also initially had 30fps performance on Xbox Series S/X before receiving patches to enable 60fps. Bethesda’s Starfield, in particular, recently added 60fps performance for the lower-end Xbox Series S following an update.

In a separate interview with IGN, Avowed game director Carrie Patel confirmed that the game will feature multiple possible endings. She revealed that players can expect a variety of ending slides, numbering in the double digits, based on their choices and interactions throughout the game. This aligns with Obsidian’s reputation for creating narrative-driven experiences with branching storylines.

Originally slated for a late 2024 release, Avowed’s delay to February 2025 gives the game more breathing room amidst a crowded video game release calendar. The game will launch across PC, Xbox Series S/X, and Game Pass, allowing players to access it through various platforms. Obsidian’s focus on delivering a visually stunning and immersive RPG experience is evident in their decisions regarding performance and narrative depth in Avowed.