Avowed Director Leaves Obsidian for Netflix's Oxenfree Studio After 13 Years

Carrie Patel, the director of Avowed, has stepped away from Obsidian Entertainment, the renowned RPG studio, just a few months following the release of the game. In an update to her LinkedIn profile, Patel announced her transition to Night School, a Netflix-owned developer known for the critically acclaimed Oxenfree series.

“I’m thrilled to share that I’ve started a new role as Game Director at Night School: A Netflix Game Studio!” Patel shared in her announcement. While her exact project remains undisclosed, her role will once again center around directing games.

Night School gained recognition for titles like the Oxenfree series, with the latest entry being Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals. The studio also released the Black Mirror spin-off Throglets earlier this year amidst undisclosed layoffs. Around the same time, Netflix shuttered another of its studios, which was developing a high-profile AAA title led by Halo veteran Joseph Staten.

Over her decade-long career at Obsidian, Patel held senior roles on notable projects such as the Xbox sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds and the classic Pillars of Eternity series. She later took charge of Avowed during its early development phase, originally envisioned as a darker fantasy game akin to The Elder Scrolls with a singular open world and cooperative multiplayer. However, under her leadership, the game evolved into a brighter, more distinct experience featuring multiple expansive maps and a purely single-player journey.

Avowed – Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots

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The reception to Avowed was largely favorable, and Patel had previously outlined plans for the franchise’s expansion through sequels or additional content. Moving forward, she will not be involved in this progression.

A recent development roadmap for Avowed highlighted several upcoming free updates over the next six months, including features like a Photo Mode and New Game Plus options. IGN noted, “With its incredible worldbuilding and exceptional character writing, Avowed rekindles the reasons I adored Obsidian’s RPGs.” However, the outlet added that the game leans toward familiarity rather than innovation within the fantasy genre.

Obsidian’s next major release is The Outer Worlds 2, set to be showcased in detail at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase in June.