Pentiment, Pillars Of Eternity, and Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer expresses interest in creating a tactics game set in the same universe as Avowed and the Pillars RPGs. He mentioned on a livestream that there is enthusiasm at Obsidian for such a project, but he is uncertain about the audience’s size for it. Sawyer stated that “Pillars Tactics is a thing that a lot of people at the studio would like to work on, and there are a lot of people that like tactics games,” but they need to consider the financial viability of the endeavor.
Last September, Sawyer had also mentioned that some developers at Obsidian had discussed the idea of a tactics game. He acknowledged that the audience for such games is not large but very passionate. Despite the challenges, Sawyer mentioned that the idea resurfaces occasionally within the studio.
In a recent livestream, Sawyer reiterated that tactics games have a dedicated fanbase, although not massive. He highlighted that creating a decent tactics game would attract these enthusiasts, but the overall number of potential players remains limited.
Obsidian’s CEO Feargus Urquhart disclosed in an Ian Games interview that the studio is relatively small compared to other big-budget RPG developers. With around 300 employees, Obsidian faces resource allocation decisions carefully, especially with projects like Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed in the pipeline. Their approach to project financials focuses on expecting “mild success” rather than aiming for blockbuster hits.
It appears that Obsidian prioritizes sustainable financial growth to continue creating games, a perspective that contrasts with industry norms. Despite personal opinions on Avowed, this business strategy is commendable and indicates a commitment to long-term game development.
