A year after the Obsidian Entertainment fantasy RPG’s release, Avowed is getting a massive Anniversary Update and its long-awaited debut on the PS5.
Avowed – One Year Later
Avowed was one of the major Xbox Game Pass Day One incentives in 2025. The RPG takes place in the world of Eora, the same universe as the Pillars of Eternity, but aimed to expand the fanbase with this standalone new narrative.
The game has since benefited from a full year of minor patches, improvements, and bug fixes and the team at Obsidian Entertainment has even more in store for fans. This week marked the release of the Anniversary Update, which goes beyond optimizations and bug fixes and adds some significant new features to the title.
Three New Playable Species
The biggest content addition included in the Anniversary Update is definitely the three new playable species. These add on to the existing roster of Humans and Elves.
- Dwarves – The most well-traveled species in Eora, the stout dwarves are known for their great strength and tenacity.
- Orlans – Their two-toned skin, prominent ears, and hirsute bodies all in the smallest size of Kith make them stand out in Eora.
- Aumaua – Towering, powerfully built, and physically imposing.
The new species are available for selection at character creation, but for those who are currently in the middle of an adventure and are looking for a change, a Magic Mirror has been added to the Party Camp that allows players to change their appearance, including species, at any time.
New Species and Background Stat Bonuses
Now that the full cast of species are available at character selection, the team also added stat bonuses for all species to add another layer of potential min-maxing to consider…
- Humans
- +1 Might
- +1 Resolve
- Elves
- +1 Dexterity
- +1 Perception
- Aumaua
- +2 Might
- Dwarves
- +1 Might
- +1 Constitution
- Orlans
- +1 Perception
- +1 Resolve
To team up with species specific stat boosts, Obsidian also added a stat boost that comes along with the player’s background choice:
- Arcane Scholar – +2 to Intellect
- Court Augur – +2 to Resolve
- Noble Scion – +2 to Perception
- Vanguard Scout – +2 to Dexterity
- War Hero – +2 to Constitution
New Game+
As has become the norm for many RPGs, Avowed is also getting a New Game+ mode for hardcore fans who want to dive back into world for another run.
New Game Plus is now available after completing the main story. This mode is designed to reward mastery, experimentation, and making the all-powerful build.
When starting a New Game Plus save, players will bring along with them:
- All unlocked abilities (with the exception of godlike abilities which are gained through story progression/world exploration)
- All spent attribute points
- All unique weapons and armors (but they are reset to level 1)
- All unlocked enchantments remain
- All unique gloves and boots
- All necklaces, all rings, and all trinkets
- Any equipped Common Weapons or Armor items are kept (but they are reset to level 1)
New Weapon Type: Quarterstaff
One of the unique aspects of Avowed is how important weapon choice is. Each player’s selection of weapon is akin to picking a class or job in many other RPGs. With that in mind, the addition of a new weapon is a huge deal.
A brand new weapon type is joining the arsenal with the quarterstaff. Designed with the archmage fantasy in mind, the quarterstaff is a new bludgeoning weapon that comes complete with wand style stun finishers. Unleash brutal physical combos along with a flurry of spells.
Photo Mode and Quality of Life improvements
The final notes of the patch include a few quality of life improvements and the option to capture photos during your adventure:
- Photo Mode – Capture your envoy, companions, and the Living Lands from any angle and share your journey
- Improved lighting and visual polish throughout
- The ability to skip previously unskippable conversations with a certain god
It’s a long list, but that should be everything players need to know heading into the Avowed Anniversary Update.
Avowed is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox consoles.
The post Avowed – Everything New in the Anniversary Update and PS5 Launch appeared first on VICE.
