Avowed director Carrie Patel has departed Obsidian Entertainment, the renowned RPG studio, just months after the release of the highly anticipated title. Patel confirmed her departure via a LinkedIn update, announcing her new role as Game Director at Night School Studio, a developer owned by Netflix and best known for the narrative-driven Oxenfree series.
“I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Game Director at Night School: A Netflix Game Studio!” Patel wrote in her post. While she will continue in a leadership role, details about her upcoming project remain under wraps.
Night School Studio gained acclaim for Oxenfree and its 2023 sequel, Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals. Earlier this year, the studio released Thronglets, a spin-off tied to the Black Mirror universe, though the launch coincided with undisclosed layoffs. This follows Netflix’s earlier shutdown of another internal game studio, which was developing a AAA title led by Halo veteran Joseph Staten.
Patel spent over a decade at Obsidian, contributing to major titles such as The Outer Worlds and the Pillars of Eternity series in various senior roles. She took the helm of Avowed after a significant development reboot, reshaping the game’s original darker, Elder Scrolls-inspired vision—featuring a single expansive world and co-op play—into a more vibrant, stylized single-player experience with multiple large, distinct regions.
The game launched to generally positive feedback, with IGN praising its worldbuilding and character writing, noting, “Avowed reminds me why I fell in love with Obsidian's RPGs in the first place.” However, the review also highlighted its conventional approach, calling it “more familiar than evolutionary.”
Despite Patel’s earlier discussions about potential expansions or a sequel, she will no longer be involved in the future of the Avowed franchise. Last week, Obsidian unveiled a six-month post-launch roadmap featuring free updates, including Photo Mode and New Game Plus.
Looking ahead, Obsidian’s next major release is The Outer Worlds 2, set to be showcased in detail at the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase in June.
Avowed - Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots
View 39 Images
