At Digital Tech Explorer, we’ve been keeping a close eye on Obsidian Entertainment’s journey through the world of Eora. The latest milestone has arrived: Avowed’s 2.0 update, famously dubbed the Anniversary Update. It is a massive content drop that brings a wealth of requested features, including New Game Plus (NG+), a dedicated photo mode, and the addition of the quarterstaff weapon type. However, the crown jewel of this expansion is undoubtedly the introduction of three new playable races.
As a storyteller who loves deep dives into digital worlds, I found it surprising that Avowed initially launched with only humans and elves as playable options. For fans of the Pillars of Eternity universe, this felt like a departure from the rich diversity Obsidian usually offers at character creation. This update seeks to bridge that gap, bringing the game closer to its CRPG roots.
Expanding the Horizons of Eora
The original narrative justification for the limited race selection was tied to the protagonist’s origins, where humans and elves were the demographic majority. While lore-accurate, it often left roleplayers wanting more. With the 2.0 update, players can now step into the boots of a dwarf, an orlan, or an aumaua, significantly expanding the aesthetic and mechanical variety of the Living Lands.
Update 2.0 Overview
| Feature Category | New Additions |
|---|---|
| Playable Races | Dwarves, Orlans, Aumaua |
| Weaponry | Quarterstaffs (New Staff Type) |
| Game Modes | New Game Plus (NG+), Custom Difficulty Modifiers |
| Tools | Advanced Photo Mode |
| Progression | New Stat Bonuses and Attribute Balancing |
The Catch: A Narrative Trade-off
In most high-tier RPGs, your choice of race influences how the world reacts to you. In the base version of Avowed, humans and elves enjoy unique dialogue and specific social interactions. Unfortunately, the new additions do not share this level of narrative depth. Choosing a dwarf or an orlan provides a mechanical and visual shift, but the world will largely treat you as it did before.
Why the Narrative Omission?
In a recent interview with RPG Site, gameplay director Gabe Paramo shed light on the technical hurdles. “It was actually quite difficult,” Paramo noted. The engineering and art teams had to work extensively to ensure that customization options, animations, and world interactions scaled correctly with the varying heights and proportions of the new races.
However, the lack of new writing stems from team availability. Since the post-launch focus was primarily on the PlayStation 5 port and core gameplay refinements, the dedicated narrative team wasn’t available to craft the thousands of lines required for race-specific dialogue branches. As a result, the “Anniversary Update” focuses on the mechanical distinction of the races rather than their social footprint.
The Roleplayer’s Perspective
From a technical standpoint, the gameplay attribute bonuses accompanying these races ensure that your choice still impacts your character’s build and combat effectiveness. As a tech enthusiast and storyteller, I find this a bit of a double-edged sword. While it’s fantastic to see free content updates and expanded player agency, the soul of an Obsidian game usually lies in the reactivity of its world.
That said, for those looking to jump into a New Game Plus run with a fresh look and different stat modifiers, this update is a major win. The technical polish required to implement different heights and hitboxes in a first-person RPG shouldn’t be underestimated.
Experience the Update Today
Whether you’re looking to capture the perfect shot in the new photo mode or test your skills with custom difficulty settings, the Avowed Anniversary Update is available now. At Digital Tech Explorer, we believe these refinements show Obsidian’s commitment to their community, even as they navigate multi-platform releases.
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