Avowed Heads to PS5 With Free Anniversary Update on Feb 17
- Avowed will launch on PS5 on Feb. 17, Obsidian confirmed.
- The PS5 release coincides with a free anniversary update adding New Game Plus, Photo Mode, new races, a weapon type, and more.
- Pre-orders for the PlayStation version go live today; the update is free for existing owners on other platforms.
What Obsidian announced
Obsidian Entertainment revealed in a New Game+ Showcase interview that Avowed, the studio’s first-person RPG published under Xbox Game Studios, will arrive on PlayStation 5 on Feb. 17.
The PS5 release will ship alongside the title’s promised anniversary update, which Obsidian says will be available on all platforms the same day.
Watch the announcement and trailer
New Game+ Showcase interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yhr_UqvElk
Official launch trailer: https://www.ign.com/videos/avowed-official-launch-trailer
What’s in the anniversary update
Obsidian’s anniversary patch bundles several long-requested features. The headline additions include a New Game Plus mode and a Photo Mode to capture the game’s worldbuilding and character moments.
Players will also get access to three playable races — Aumaua, Orlan, and Dwarves — plus a new weapon type and the option to change character appearance while in the overworld.
Obsidian framed these changes as part of a broader post-launch roadmap of quality-of-life and content updates. The anniversary package will be free for anyone who already owns Avowed on other platforms.
Release details and availability
Pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 version go live today, with the full release and update scheduled for Feb. 17. Obsidian notes that the update will be delivered across platforms at no extra charge to current owners.
Why Xbox is releasing first-party games on PlayStation
The move is consistent with Microsoft’s recent strategy to publish select Xbox Game Studios titles on competing platforms. Recent cross-platform releases include Forza Horizon 5, Doom: The Dark Ages, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Halo entries.
Microsoft has argued that strict platform exclusivity is increasingly "antiquated," and early sales data suggests the approach can pay off: in one quarter last year, Xbox-published games made up six of the ten best-selling titles on PlayStation in the U.S.
What to watch
How Avowed performs on PlayStation — both in sales and player reception — will be a useful barometer for Microsoft’s cross-platform strategy as publishers balance hardware economics with long-term live-service and "forever game" strategies.
