What Is Avowed?
Released on February 18, 2025, Avowed is a first-person action-RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is set in the Living Lands of Eora — the same universe as Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity series — though prior knowledge of those games is not required to enjoy Avowed.
You play as an envoy of the Aedyran Empire sent to investigate a spreading plague known as the Dreamscourge, which is corrupting the living landscape and driving the inhabitants of the Living Lands to madness. Combat is a hybrid of melee, magic, and firearms: you equip one primary weapon and one off-hand item, allowing dual-wielding combinations like sword+pistol, grimoire+dagger, or two-handed warhammer. Spell-casting is real-time rather than menu-based, and builds range from pure warriors to full arcane glass cannons.
Avowed is Obsidian's largest-scale project to date: it arrives as a Game Pass Day 1 title on PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and is also available on Steam at $69.99. It is built on Unreal Engine 5, featuring Lumen global illumination and Nanite virtual geometry — which defines both its visual ambition and its performance profile.
System Requirements
| Tier | CPU | GPU | RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum (1080p / 30 fps / Low) | Intel Core i5-8600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | NVIDIA GTX 1070 / AMD RX 5700 XT | 16 GB DDR4 | 59 GB SSD |
| Recommended (1080p / 60 fps / Medium–High) | Intel Core i7-10700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | NVIDIA RTX 2080 / AMD RX 6800 XT | 16 GB DDR4 | 59 GB NVMe |
| High (1440p / 60 fps / High) | Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D | NVIDIA RTX 3080 / AMD RX 6900 XT | 16 GB DDR4 | 59 GB NVMe |
| Ultra / 4K | Intel Core i9-13900K / AMD Ryzen 9 7900X | NVIDIA RTX 4080 / AMD RX 7900 XTX | 32 GB DDR5 | 59 GB NVMe |
OS: Windows 10 64-bit / Windows 11 64-bit DirectX: DirectX 12 SSD: Required. Lumen + Nanite world streaming demands SSD bandwidth. HDDs produce severe stutter during exploration.
What the Minimum Really Means
The 16 GB RAM minimum is non-negotiable — do not attempt Avowed with 8 GB. Lumen GI and Nanite streaming are RAM-hungry beyond the VRAM budget. A GTX 1070 paired with an i5-8600K will hold 30 fps at 1080p/Low only in contained areas; open-world sections are more demanding.
At the recommended tier (RTX 2080 / RX 6800 XT), 1080p/High at 60 fps is achievable with DLSS Balanced or FSR 2 Quality upscaling enabled. Native 1440p on recommended hardware requires lowering Global Illumination to Medium and Shadows to Medium.
RTX 4090 owners can target 4K/Ultra with DLSS Frame Generation for consistent 60+ fps — without Frame Gen, 4K/Ultra on an RTX 4090 averages around 55–65 fps depending on the scene complexity.
PC Installation
Game Pass (PC Game Pass / Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
- Open the Xbox app on PC → search "Avowed"
- Click Install — included with PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at no extra charge
- The Game Pass version is fully identical to the retail release; no feature differences
- Cloud saves via Xbox cloud — saves sync automatically across devices
Steam
- Open Steam → Library or Store → search "Avowed"
- Click Purchase ($69.99) → Install
- Steam Cloud saves are supported
Note: Avowed requires an Xbox / Microsoft account login for the Game Pass version even when playing through the Xbox app. Steam users do not need a Microsoft account.
Graphics Settings — What Actually Matters
Avowed runs on Unreal Engine 5 with full Lumen global illumination and Nanite. This is the same architecture as other demanding UE5 titles such as Black Myth: Wukong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The performance hierarchy of settings follows the same pattern.
The Key Settings
| Setting | FPS Impact | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Global Illumination (Lumen) | Very High | Medium for 1080p mid-range; High for 1440p/RTX 30xx+ |
| Shadows | High | Medium for mid-range; High for RTX 30xx+ |
| Reflection Quality | High | Medium for under-8 GB VRAM; High for 8 GB+ |
| Foliage Density | Medium | High or Epic for RTX 3080+; Medium for RTX 2080 |
| View Distance | Medium | High for wide-open outdoor areas; Medium saves frames in dense areas |
| Anti-Aliasing / Upscaling | — | DLSS recommended on NVIDIA; FSR 2/3 on AMD; XeSS on Intel |
| Motion Blur | Negligible | Disable — it adds blur without meaningful FPS gain |
Full Settings Recommendations by GPU
| GPU | Resolution | Global Illumination | Shadows | Upscaling | Target FPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTX 1070 / RX 5700 XT | 1080p | Low | Low | FSR 2 Balanced | 35–50 |
| RTX 2070 / RX 6700 XT | 1080p | Medium | Medium | DLSS Balanced | 55–70 |
| RTX 2080 / RX 6800 XT | 1080p | Medium | High | DLSS Quality | 65–80 |
| RTX 3080 / RX 6900 XT | 1440p | High | High | DLSS Quality | 60–75 |
| RTX 4070 / RX 7900 XT | 1440p | High | High | DLSS Quality | 70–90 |
| RTX 4090 | 4K | Epic | High | DLSS Quality + Frame Gen | 60–80 |
Shader Compilation Note
On first launch, Avowed compiles shaders in the background. This process takes 5–15 minutes depending on your CPU speed. During this window, expect hitching, stuttering, and microfreezes that disappear after compilation completes. Do not judge performance on the first play session. Restart the game after initial shader compilation to experience full performance.
To force full pre-compilation (reduces in-game stutter):
- Open Avowed → Settings → Graphics → Shader Pre-Compilation
- Let it complete in the menu before starting a new game
Avowed — Gameplay Guide for Beginners
Class System: There Are No Classes
Avowed has no fixed class. You freely assign skill points from three trees:
| Tree | Playstyle | Key Early Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Fighter | Melee tanks, shields, heavy armor | Shield Block (reduces stamina cost), Staggering Force (interrupt enemies), Weapon Mastery (damage bonus) |
| Ranger | Ranged, traps, pet builds | Evasion (roll distance), Survival Instinct (detection reduction), Steady Aim (standing bonus) |
| Wizard | Spells, grimoires, elemental builds | Quick Cast (cast speed), Arcane Momentum (reduce cooldown on hit), Spell Flexibility (equip more spells) |
You can freely mix all three trees. The most popular hybrid is Fighter/Wizard: melee sword + off-hand grimoire, alternating between physical attacks to build momentum and spell bursts to consume it.
Equipment and Loadout
- Primary weapon: Sword, Warhammer, Spear, Pistol, Rifle, or two-handed variants
- Off-hand: Shield, Second weapon, Grimoire (spellbook), or Pistol
- Armor: Light (dodge bonus, speed), Medium (balanced), Heavy (defense, stagger resistance) — no stat-lock class restriction
Early recommendation: one-handed sword + pistol (duelist build) or wand + grimoire (pure caster). The sword/pistol build is the most forgiving for new players: you engage at range, switch to melee when enemies close, and the pistol stagger makes even hard fights manageable.
Essence and Skill Points
- Essence is your magic resource, regenerated passively and by certain gear
- Skills are unlocked with Skill Points earned from leveling
- You can respec freely at any Companion Camp — experiment with builds without commitment
- Level cap is approximately 40 on a full playthrough
Companions
You recruit up to 4 companions, 2 of whom accompany you at a time:
| Companion | Role | Speciality |
|---|---|---|
| Kai | Tank / Fighter | Shield bash, aggro draw, crowd control |
| Giatta | Support / Wizard | Healing, Essence restoration, area buffs |
| Marius | Ranger | Stealth, ranged DPS, trap-laying |
| Yatzli | Wizard | Elemental damage, AoE debuffs |
Companions level with you and have their own skill trees you can invest in. Giatta is essential for Wizard builds (she keeps your Essence topped up); Kai is ideal for Ranger builds (he absorbs hits while you attack from range).
Combat Tips
- Interrupt everything: most boss attacks have a wind-up — a well-timed Shield Bash or heavy attack interrupts them
- Elemental reactions: Fire on Frozen targets deals massive bonus damage; Shocked targets become vulnerable to Burn
- Dodge early: i-frames start on the first frame of the dodge roll — panic-rolling late gets you hit
- Grimoire management: each grimoire holds 4–6 spells; carry a spare with utility spells (Fireball, Arcane Burst, Mind Web) for crowd encounters
Performance Fixes — Common Issues
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Severe stuttering on first session | Shader compilation in progress | Wait 5–15 min for background compilation; restart game after |
| DirectX 12 crash on launch | Driver incompatibility | Update GPU driver to latest; if crash persists, launch with -dx11 flag via Steam launch options |
| Low FPS despite good GPU | Lumen GI on Epic/Ultra | Set Global Illumination to Medium; use DLSS/FSR Quality upscaling |
| Black screen on launch | Fullscreen Exclusive conflict | Switch to Borderless Windowed in Settings → Display |
| Crash after cutscene | VRAM overflow | Lower Texture Quality by one tier; ensure 16 GB RAM minimum |
| Input lag / mouse acceleration | Windows mouse settings | Set in-game Sensitivity to your preference; disable Windows Pointer Precision |
| Game Pass version won't launch | Xbox app issue | Sign out + sign in to Xbox app; run as Administrator |
| 30 fps cap on menus | Frame rate limiter in menu | Start a game session — the menu FPS cap lifts once gameplay begins |
FAQ — Avowed on PC
Q: Is Avowed free on Game Pass? A: Yes. Avowed launched Day 1 on PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If you have an active subscription, download it directly from the Xbox app at no additional cost.
Q: Is Avowed on Steam? A: Yes — Avowed is available on Steam at $69.99. There is no platform-exclusive content; the Steam and Game Pass versions are identical.
Q: Do I need to play Pillars of Eternity to understand Avowed? A: No. Avowed is set in the same world (Eora) but tells a completely standalone story. Some returning lore (gods, factions) adds flavor, but the game explains everything you need to know.
Q: How long is Avowed? A: 25–35 hours for the main story; 50–70 hours for a completionist run covering all side quests and companion quests.
Q: Does Avowed have controller support? A: Yes — full Xbox controller support with on-screen button prompts. The game was designed with controller play in mind (it is also an Xbox console title).
Q: Can Avowed be modded? A: Nexus Mods has an Avowed category. As a UE5 title, mod support is community-driven rather than officially endorsed, but the modding community has produced visual mods and gameplay tweaks.
Q: What is the best Avowed build for beginners? A: Sword + Pistol Duelist (Fighter tree: Shield Block, Staggering Force; Ranger tree: Evasion). This build works with any difficulty setting, allows reactive playstyle, and scales well into late game without complex spell management.
Q: Does Avowed run on Steam Deck? A: Avowed receives a Playable rating on Steam Deck. Running at 800p/Low–Medium with FSR 2 Balanced typically achieves 30–40 fps. The UE5 workload is heavy for the Deck's APU — expect Battery drain of 15–20W; manage with 30 fps cap + Power Limit 12W for extended sessions.