My Vision for Avowed 2: Expanding the Living Lands and Refining the Formula

As a professional gamer who spent countless hours immersed in the world of Eora, I can confidently say that Avowed was a landmark release in the action RPG genre. The game, which launched in 2025, felt like a masterful translation of the intricate Pillars of Eternity lore into a dynamic, first-person experience. Now, in 2026, with the echoes of my adventures still fresh, my thoughts inevitably turn to the future. If Obsidian Entertainment greenlights a sequel, which I fervently hope they do, there are several key areas where Avowed 2 could evolve from a great game into a legendary one. Based on my deep dive into the original, here is my personal manifesto for the sequel's potential.

1. Deepening the Living Lands: From Canvas to Living Tapestry

One of the most tantalizing aspects of the first game was the map of the Living Lands itself. Gazing upon its sprawling, partially shaded regions felt less like viewing a game world and more like staring at a treasure map with half the X's missing—a silent promise of adventures untold. The sequel absolutely must let us explore more of this raw, untamed continent. While venturing to a new part of Eora is always exciting, abandoning the Living Lands now would be like leaving a symphony unfinished after the first movement. A full sequel could give each new zone—be it frozen tundras, volcanic badlands, or dense, magical jungles—the same narrative depth and environmental storytelling that made Shatterscarp and the Emerald Stair so memorable. More importantly, it would allow the game to showcase the consequences of our choices from the first installment, letting us see how our actions have reshaped the political and spiritual landscape, turning the region into a dynamic character in its own right.

2. A Truly Customizable Hero: Shedding the Envoy's Mantle

Avowed asked us to play a specific role: a Godlike Envoy from Aedyr. While this provided a strong narrative hook, it felt like wearing a beautifully tailored suit that you couldn't alter. For the sequel, I dream of a protagonist creation system as vast and flexible as the night sky. We should be able to craft a hero from any of Eora's kith—a hulking, stoic Aumaua warrior, a cunning Orlan scout, or a scholarly Human from the Vailian Republics. This isn't just about aesthetics; it's about backstory. Choosing to be a former Deadfire pirate, a disgraced Readceran knight, or a rogue animancer from the Dyrwood would weave our personal narrative directly into the world's fabric, making each playthrough feel uniquely ours. The protagonist's identity should be a brush, not a stamp.

3. Class Warfare: Evolving the Skill System

I adored Avowed's fluid class system, which allowed for on-the-fly respeccing and hybrid builds. It was a breath of fresh air. For the sequel, I don't want to see that flexibility locked away. Instead, I want it to bloom like a bioluminescent fungus in the Darkest Depths. The foundation is solid; now, let's add more branches to the skill tree. Introduce dedicated skill lines that capture the essence of classic Pillars classes:

• The Chanter: A support tree focused on chanted phrases that provide persistent auras and summon spectral allies.

• The Cipher: A psychic discipline allowing players to manipulate enemy willpower, debuffing foes and extracting secrets.

• The Druid: A nature-based path culminating in the ability to shapeshift into powerful animal forms, perfect for the game's wild themes.

This expansion would add strategic depth without sacrificing the freedom to experiment that made combat so engaging.

4. A Bestiary Reborn: Beyond Bears and Beetles

Let's be honest: the enemy variety in Avowed was its Achilles' heel. Traversing from mossy ruins to arid canyons only to fight the same reskinned bears and Xaurips made the world feel curiously flat, like a diorama populated by the same few action figures. Avowed 2 needs an enemy roster as diverse and terrifying as the layers of the In-Between. Imagine:

• Region-Locked Threats: Spectral Bog Wights in the swamps, crystalline Golems in the mountain passes, and predatory, vine-covered Blights in the deep forests.

• Evolving Factions: Dynamic skirmishes between different Xaurip tribes or rival mercenary bands, making the world feel alive and contested.

• The Promise of Giants: This leads to my next point...

5. Delivering on the Promise of Titans

The first game was littered with the fossilized dreams of giants. The Leviathan skeleton in Thirdborn wasn't just set-dressing; it was a haunting monument to a lost age. The dragon bones near Dawnshore and the primitive Xaurip cave paintings teased a world of colossal, living wonders we never got to see. In a sequel, these hints must culminate in earth-shaking encounters. I want to cautiously navigate a swamp where the "islands" are the backs of sleeping, mountain-sized tortoises. I want a late-game quest that leads to a confrontation with a true, ancient dragon—a battle that feels less like combat and more like a natural disaster you're trying to survive. These creatures should be rare, awe-inspiring events, the gameplay equivalent of witnessing a solar eclipse.

6. Honoring Our Legacy: The Weight of Choice

Avowed's narrative strength lay in its meaningful choices. A sequel that ignores them would render our first journey moot. Our decisions must echo forward, even if faintly. A smart approach, akin to Knights of the Old Republic II, could involve a new protagonist on a tangential journey. Our old Envoy could be a legendary, off-screen figure whose reputation and major decisions (like the fate of the Living Lands' souls) subtly alter the political climate, available allies, and even the landscape itself. A few key imports could create a powerful sense of continuity without requiring a herculean development effort.

7. A New Circle of Companions

Kai, Giatta, Marius, and Yatzli were fantastic companions whose stories felt complete. Bringing them back would risk making them narrative wallpaper. Avowed 2 needs a fresh cast with deep roots in its new regions. Imagine a grizzled frontier guide who speaks to spirits, a revolutionary poet from a conquered city, or an animancer exiled for forbidden experiments. These new friends (or rivals) should be as integral to their homelands as the previous crew was, helping us understand the world's new conflicts and cultures from the inside out.

8. Flexible Gear: Respecting Our Investment

If I can respec my entire combat philosophy on a whim, why am I punished for experimenting with weapon upgrades? The limited, non-refundable crafting materials felt like an archaic constraint. The sequel should treat gear upgrades like clay, not carved stone—malleable and adaptable. A late-game artisan or a rare ritual could allow us to dismantle gear and reclaim most, if not all, of our investment. This would empower players to fully engage with the loot system without the fear of wasting rare resources on a build they might want to change later.

9. Journeys, Not Teleports: The Romance of Travel

The seamless fast travel between major zones, while convenient, sometimes robbed the Living Lands of their scale and peril. I yearn for transitional moments that make travel feel like an odyssey, not a loading screen. The first time you travel to a new region, a short, handcrafted vignette—a perilous mountain pass, a tense river crossing, or a haunted stretch of old forest—could immensely bolster the sense of adventure. These wouldn't be tedious slogs but curated experiences that emphasize the world's danger and beauty.

10. The Guiding Vision: Keep the Creative Heart

Finally, and perhaps most crucially, Avowed 2 should be helmed by the same core creative team, led by Game Director Carrie Patel. Her vision and the team's hard-won "muscle memory" are invaluable assets. As she said, now that this incredible world and gameplay loop are built, it's time to swing for the fences. This team understands the soul of Eora. They have the foundation; let them build the cathedral.

In summary, Avowed was a brilliant proof of concept. Avowed 2 has the potential to be the masterpiece. By expanding the world, deepening customization, refreshing its challenges, and respecting the player's legacy, it could solidify Obsidian's place at the pinnacle of action RPG development. The Living Lands are calling. I, for one, am ready to answer.