Avowed director Carrie Patel has recently left Obsidian Entertainment, a renowned RPG developer, shortly after the launch of their latest game. Patel announced her departure on LinkedIn, revealing her new position as Game Director at Night School, a studio owned by Netflix known for the Oxenfree series of narrative adventure games. In her update, Patel expressed excitement about her new role, though details about her current project remain undisclosed.

Night School gained recognition for its Oxenfree series, with the latest installment, Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals, released in 2023. Earlier this year, the studio also launched Thronglets, a Black Mirror spin-off, amidst an unspecified number of layoffs. Meanwhile, Netflix closed another of its studios that was developing a AAA game under the leadership of Halo veteran Joseph Staten.

Patel had been a key figure at Obsidian for over a decade, contributing to major titles like The Outer Worlds and the Pillars of Eternity series. She took the helm of Avowed after its early development reboot, steering it away from its original darker, Elder Scrolls-inspired fantasy setting with an open world and multiplayer co-op. Under her direction, Avowed evolved into a brighter, more distinctive game featuring multiple large maps and a strictly single-player experience.

Avowed - Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots

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The reception to Avowed was generally positive, and Patel had previously mentioned plans for the franchise's expansion through additional content or a sequel. However, she will not be involved in these future developments. Last week, Obsidian released a roadmap for Avowed, outlining minor free updates over the next six months, including a Photo Mode and New Game Plus.

IGN's review of Avowed praised its worldbuilding and character writing, highlighting its appeal to fans of Obsidian's RPGs. However, the review noted that the game follows a familiar formula without significant innovation.

Obsidian's next project, The Outer Worlds 2, is set to be showcased in detail at the Xbox Games Showcase in June this year.