Obsidian’s Avowed Trades Open-World for Zone-Based Design to Enhance Storytelling

Launching February 18, the RPG uses distinct zones to improve pacing, narrative depth, and player choice.

Avowed, releasing February 18, 2025, opts for a zone-based structure instead of an open-world design to maintain tighter pacing and narrative coherence.
Developers at Obsidian explained that zones allow them to better track player progression and deliver a more cohesive storytelling experience.
The structured zones still provide freedom for exploration and decision-making while ensuring a consistent critical path for players.
Player choices in Avowed are designed to have short-, medium-, and long-term consequences, enhancing replayability and narrative complexity.
Obsidian aims to balance player freedom with polished, meaningful content by focusing on detailed, self-contained regions.