Obsidian Entertainment has revealed why Avowed players shouldn’t expect any romance between its colorful cast of characters.
Romance options in video games have been incredibly popular in recent years, with the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard all receiving the love.
Not only do these romantic options enable players to get closer to their favorite characters, but they can also lead to some viral moments – like BG3’s infamous Druid bear scene. However, those hoping to find the love of their life in Avowed will be going home disappointed.
In an interview with IGN, Avowed game director Carrie Patel, explained why Avowed would not feature any romance options:
“We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters. Ultimately, I personally am a fan of making that an option, but I feel like if you’re going to do it, you really, really have to commit and make sure that you’re giving all to fulfilling that in a way that feels both true to the character, but also creates an engaging player experience. So not something we’re doing for Avowed, but I wouldn’t say never.”
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This will come as a disappointment to fans hoping to get closer to their favorite characters, especially when games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and BG3 have proven just how popular the romance mechanic can be.
As Patel points out, romance in games has to feel like a fulfilling experience for the player, and it needs to make sense to the plot. After all, forcing romance options and having characters hook up with one another for the sake of ticking a heart-shaped box can have a detrimental impact on the game, especially when it’s done poorly.
However, Patel did explain that romance options aren’t completely off the table, but players shouldn’t expect them at launch. So, there could still be hope for lovestruck fans who want to do more than just swing a sword at skeletons.