Carrie Patel, the director behind Obsidian Entertainment's latest RPG, Avowed, has recently left the company to join Night School, a Netflix-owned studio renowned for its Oxenfree series. Patel announced her transition on LinkedIn, expressing excitement about her new role as Game Director at Night School, though details about her upcoming projects remain under wraps.
Night School gained prominence with the Oxenfree series, the latest installment being Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals in 2023. The studio also ventured into the Black Mirror universe with Thronglets earlier this year, amidst reports of layoffs. Concurrently, Netflix shut down another of its studios that was developing a AAA game led by Halo veteran Joseph Staten.
Patel, a long-time member of Obsidian, contributed significantly over her 11-year tenure, working on major titles such as The Outer Worlds and the Pillars of Eternity series. She took the helm of Avowed after its early development reboot, steering it from a darker, Elder Scrolls-inspired open-world game with multiplayer co-op to a brighter, visually distinct single-player experience with multiple explorable maps.
Avowed - Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots
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Avowed received a mostly positive reception, and Patel had initially expressed interest in expanding the franchise through expansions or a sequel. However, she will not be part of Avowed's future endeavors. Last week, Obsidian unveiled a development roadmap for Avowed, promising minor free updates over the next six months, including a Photo Mode and New Game Plus feature.
IGN's review of Avowed praised its worldbuilding and character writing, noting it as a reminder of what makes Obsidian's RPGs special. Yet, it also pointed out that the game plays it safe, offering a familiar fantasy adventure rather than pushing boundaries.
Looking ahead, Obsidian's next major release, The Outer Worlds 2, is set to be showcased at the Xbox Games Showcase in June, promising fans more insight into this eagerly anticipated sequel.
