For some time now, it has become increasingly common for advance access to a game to be part of the advantages of a pre-order, especially if you dig deep enough into your pockets. The role-playing game Avowed has now jumped on this bandwagon and is facing some backlash.
What does Avowed offer? Avowed is a single-player RPG from Obsidian Entertainment. It will be released on February 18, 2025, on Steam, Battle.net, and the Microsoft Store. It will also be playable on the Xbox Series X|S. The game will be available on official release for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
- In addition to the standard version for €69.99 (€79.99 in the Microsoft Store), a premium edition is also offered.
- This one costs €89.99 (€99.99 in the Microsoft Store) and includes two skin packs, the digital artbook, the soundtrack, and up to 5 days of early access to the game.
- So, by spending about €20 more, you can play Avowed on February 13, 2025, which is 5 days earlier than everyone else.
A Trend That Is Not Well Received
What is the problem with that? Many see it as a questionable practice to demand additional money for an already completed game at that time, supposedly to play earlier. This creates a kind of artificial exclusivity to push people towards purchasing the more expensive version.
Additionally, the actual release takes place on a Tuesday – however, early access allows for gameplay starting the Thursday of the previous week. This means players have the opportunity to use the weekend before the official release to play Avowed.
How does the community feel about this? In social media, the approach of Obsidian Entertainment is primarily met with outrage. In a thread on Reddit, fans discuss this topic. There, the prevailing opinion is that many do not support this approach and therefore will not pre-order the game.
Some also argue that they could somewhat understand this practice from the developers if it were a multiplayer title, where earlier access would provide in-game advantages. Many also note that, in their opinion, the early access is the actual release day and that they view the nearly €90 as the real price for Avowed, which simply drops 5 days later.
What else is the problem? Generally, players are not thrilled, as the prices are sometimes very oddly adjusted to individual countries (via steamcommunity.com). Furthermore, according to the developers, the game is said to offer only “20 to 25 hours” of gameplay – all for €90. Many players can only shake their heads at this outrageous pricing policy.
A very similar discussion had already taken place during the release of Diablo IV. At that time, the same strategy was chosen, where pre-ordering the more expensive versions granted early access. However, this approach was not used during the release of the latest expansion, Vassel of Hatred, which was very well received by the community: Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred forgoes controversial advantage for pre-orders, receiving praise from players
