Avowed director Carrie Patel has left Obsidian Entertainment, a legendary RPG company, just months after the launch of their latest game. Patel announced her departure on LinkedIn, revealing she has taken up a new position as Game Director at Night School, a studio owned by Netflix and known for the Oxenfree series of narrative adventures.
"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 update. While her specific project at Night School remains undisclosed, her role will once again be as a game director.
Night School gained fame with its Oxenfree series, the latest installment being Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals released in 2023. Earlier this year, the studio also launched a Black Mirror spin-off called Thronglets, amid reports of an unspecified number of layoffs. This follows Netflix's decision to shutter another of its studios, which was working on a AAA game led by Halo veteran Joseph Staten.
Carrie Patel had been a long-time member of Obsidian, contributing over 11 years to various senior roles on projects like The Outer Worlds and the Pillars of Eternity series. She took over the direction of Avowed after the game underwent a reboot early in development. Originally envisioned as a darker fantasy akin to The Elder Scrolls with a single open world and multiplayer co-op, Patel transformed Avowed into a more vibrant and distinctive experience with multiple large maps and a purely single-player focus.
Avowed - Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots
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The reception to Avowed has been largely positive, with Patel expressing interest in expanding the franchise through expansions, a sequel, or both. However, she will not be involved in its future development. Last week, Obsidian unveiled a development roadmap for Avowed, promising free updates over the next six months, including a Photo Mode and New Game Plus.
IGN's review of Avowed praised its "awesome worldbuilding and stellar character writing," yet noted that the game "plays it quite safe, with a by-the-numbers fantasy adventure that's more familiar than evolutionary."
Obsidian's next major release, The Outer Worlds 2, is set to be showcased in detail at this year's Xbox Games Showcase in June.
