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Avowed finally reappears at Xbox Games Showcase with a 2024 launch window

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This story is part of our Summer Gaming Marathon series.

After a long wait, Avowed finally reappeared at today’s Xbox Game Showcase. The upcoming action RPG is now scheduled for a 2024 launch.

Avowed - Official Gameplay Trailer

First announced at Xbox’s 2021 Games Show, Avowed is a new action RPG from Obsidian. We’ve heard next to nothing about it over the past two years, but it seemed like it was going to be one of Xbox’s next big exclusives after Starfield. That appears to be the case, as the game will headline Xbox’s 2024 lineup.

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We got our closest look at the game yet during the presentation thanks to a gameplay trailer. While it didn’t give a full sense of how the game plays, we got to see a lot of magic action. We see some diverse spellcasting, with the main character shooting balls of fire and creating purple voids. There’s also a fair amount of hack-and-slash gameplay, as characters slash with a sword with one hand and shoot magic with another. Another shot shows them dual-wielding guns, so it seems like it supports a wide range of playstyles.

A spellcaster holds a book in Avowed.
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We got a good glimpse at its world and a little story setup too. The most exciting part of the trailer, though, is when we see the main character squaring off against some form of mutated bear.

We don’t know too much about its specific systems otherwise. The tagline “forge your destiny” could imply that we can expect some kind of crafting element, but we likely won’t see more until later this year at the earliest.

Avowed is scheduled to launch in 2024 for Xbox Series X/S. It’ll launch on Game Pass.

Giovanni Colantonio
As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…
Where to find the cartographer in Dawntrail in Avowed
An environment shot of the Dawnshore Eastern Overlands in Avowed.

After the tutorial teaches you the essential tips and tricks for playing Avowed, you will be set free in the Living Lands. Almost right away you will encounter a man named Sanza who has an important side quest for you to locate a missing cartographer. While you might be eager to complete the main story, side quests are important for unlocking new abilities and exploring the world. Unlike most side quests, however, this one only gives you a vague written description of where the cartographer is instead of a marker on your map to travel to. Even though each zone in Avowed isn't massive, there is still a lot of ground to cover when looking for a single person. Here's where you can find the cartographer in Dawntrail.
Where to find the missing cartographer

The side quest only says that the cartographer should be located near some cliffs on the east side of Dawntrail, which is quite a big place to search. The area you're looking for is called Usher's Hand and is directly east of Paradis. If you go out the eastern exit and head north, you will find it no problem.

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Should you free Ilora in Avowed?

Avowed is a game that loves to give the player tons of choices. You can read up on all the best tips and tricks for which abilities to get, how to fast travel, and switch to third-person, but no one can tell you how to role-play. The first choice that the game hits you with during the tutorial section is whether or not you should trust a free a prisoner named Ilora. On one hand, she claims to have a boat and will help you reach Paradis. On the other, she clearly has a bone to pick with Aedyrans and could easily betray you. If you're uncertain on how to proceed with this early choice, we'll clue you in on how it all plays out.
Should you free Ilora?

Yes, you should choose to be kind to Ilora and take the time to find the cell key and release her. Not only will she join you as a temporary companion for the rest of the tutorial, but she will keep her word on helping you reach Paradis. There's no risk of betrayal so long as you don't provoke or abandon her.

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Avowed preload guide: release date, file size, and more
A spellcaster holds a book in Avowed.

We don't know for sure if Avowed will be one of the best Xbox Series X games, but hopes are high that it will be. This year is packed with amazing upcoming video games like Doom The Dark Ages and The Outer Worlds 2, but Avowed is the first to kick off Xbox's year. RPG fans are beyond excited to visit the Living Lands for the first time knowing the level of quality Obsidian is capable of. Besides knowing what type of character you want to be and what weapons you want to play with, you need to make sure your console or PC is ready to let you into the action as soon as the game launches. Here are all the preload details you need to know about Avowed.
Avowed release date

Avowed is coming out for everyone on February 18, but those who preorder the Premium Edition will be entitled to 5 days early access and can start playing on February 13.
Avowed file size

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