“They Lose Their Sense Of Personhood” – Avowed’s Game Director On Why The Game Lacks Romance

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Summary

  • Avowed doesn’t feature romance, which has become commonplace in the modern RPG landscape.
  • Avowed’s game director Carrie Patel says writing compelling romance that doesn’t cheapen characters is difficult.
  • Patel says that Avowed offers the chance to form strong platonic relationships which is equally as important.

As a gamer, I’ve grown accustomed to the inclusion of romantic options in contemporary role-playing games. Even developers known for steering clear of this element are starting to dabble with it, like Bethesda. However, one studio that has consistently stayed away from romance is Obsidian Entertainment. Known for their focus on other aspects in RPGs, they either omit romance altogether or keep it subtly hinted, as seen in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Avowed’s game director Carrie Patel explained why there won’t be any romantic interactions between the player character and companions in Avowed: “Creating a successful romance and doing it well are two entirely different tasks,” Patel stated. “To execute a good romance, we need not only an engaging romantic plot but also one that aligns with the personality of the character being courted.

Romance Isn’t Everything

In Patel’s work, there’s a reference to a literary device where a character becomes so enamored with another that they start to lose their personal identity. Initially, the character’s personal aspirations were prominent, but now they seem more focused on fulfilling the desires of their love interest, which in this context is the player.

It can be disappointing when a character who initially seems well-rounded, with distinct personality traits, ambitions, and hobbies, turns into someone who simply agrees with everything the player wants, losing their unique identity and becoming more like a ‘yes-person’,” as Patel explains.

In many video games that feature romantic storylines, developers tend to avoid creating situations where a player’s romantic interest reacts negatively, fearing it might spoil the gaming experience. This is true even for games like Baldur’s Gate 3, which boast well-developed characters. Sometimes, it requires a bit of suspension of disbelief to accept that your character’s actions, whether they should be offensive or unacceptable to their romantic partner, go unchallenged.

As a gamer, I find that the companions in Avowed are finely crafted, responding to the storyline events and offering their thoughts during critical plot points. There’s no romantic angle to our relationship, but you can definitely grow closer to each of them in a friendly way by delving into conversations. Patel supports these “deep friendships” because she feels that relationships shouldn’t rely solely on romance to be meaningful.

Obsidian’s game, Avowed, has been a hit among critics and audiences alike, achieving both critical acclaim and commercial success. The team at the studio is now gearing up for the launch of The Outer Worlds 2, which they plan to release later in the year.

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2025-03-12 20:34