Obsidian aims to establish an “Obsidian RPG” with games like The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed, rather than chase what competitors like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 already offer

Since joining Microsoft, the studio’s output has increasingly emphasised original intellectual property. Speaking to The Game Business, Obsidian’s VP of Operations Marcus Morgan and VP of Development Justin Britch made clear that’s intentional. “When I look at Larian’s RPGs, or Bethesda’s RPGs, or CD Projekt’s RPGs, they are compared, but they’re all very different. I want a different experience when I go play Baldur’s Gate than I do when I go play Cyberpunk,” Morgan explains.

He adds: “Our aim with The Outer Worlds and Avowed is to more distinctly define what it means to be Obsidian as an independent studio, rather than simply chasing what already exists.”

Morgan says the development cycles for The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed tested that philosophy. The teams wrestled with doubts about whether to emulate typical AAA conventions, but the process reaffirmed a different lesson: remain true to the studio’s strengths and keep building the kinds of games Obsidian does best.

Nearly 30 years ago, an RPG veteran walked away from Fallout 2 after only a few conversations — with The Outer Worlds 2, he’s finally “doing a sequel to a game that I created the IP for.”