Avowed under fire as devs claim ‘you don’t need 60fps’

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Avowed under fire as devs claim 'you don’t need 60fps'

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a tad dismayed by the recent revelation about Avowed running at 30fps. Don’t get me wrong, I admire Obsidian’s ambition to create a visually stunning game, but as someone who’s navigated countless dungeons and battled countless bosses in Skyrim, I can attest that a smooth gaming experience is non-negotiable.

After more than five years of development, Xbox Game Studios and Obsidian Entertainment face significant expectations with their upcoming project, Avowed.

Initially, the Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG) was referred to as Obsidian’s counterpart to Skyrim. However, a shift in direction aimed at creating a more personal experience occurred, and now, the grand scale of what Avowed is said to accomplish has been emphasized with such a massive comparison.

However, six months prior to its launch, there’s been a significant setback for Avowed – or so it seems to the public – as developers announce that 60fps is not essential for the game and it might debut running at 30fps instead.

Obsidian Art Director eludes to Avowed launching at just 30fps

Avowed under fire as devs claim 'you don’t need 60fps'

During a conversation on the Iron Lords Podcast, Obsidian’s Art Director, Matt Hansen, has expressed some confident expectations regarding the frame rate capacity of their upcoming game, Avowed.

Hansen stated that the game is designed for one player and it’s not essential to have 60 frames per second. This, in turn, gives them more freedom to enhance visual effects, lighting, and various other aspects of the game.

“We are targeting 30 frames per second, bare minimum. That’s the expectation.”

“We chose this balance quite some time ago, and we’ve been extremely satisfied with our decision. The game runs smoothly given its high visual density, which was our aim all along, as he explained further.””

In spite of certain constraints, IGN’s latest review asserts that the initial version of Avowed is “outstanding,” and during a recent event, a 50-minute demonstration confidently showcased its prowess in delivering difficult battles without any reservations.

The community disagrees though, and fans have already taken up arms against this mythical title.

Avowed hopefuls take up arms following fps comments

The game titled Avowed will run smoothly at 30 frames per second (FPS) on Xbox Series X|S, as confirmed by the developers at Obsidian. This means that you can enjoy a more visually rich experience with enhanced visual effects, lighting, and various other details. In essence, it’s a single-player, first-person game where you don’t need the 60FPS for smoother gameplay to appreciate the improved visual aspects.

— Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) August 23, 2024

 

As a gamer myself, it’s no shocker that I’ve been swamped with enthusiastic comments from fellow gamers, all clamoring for the game’s performance to at least hit a steady 60 frames per second (fps). But the real dreamers are aiming even higher, suggesting we should be striving for a smooth 120 fps.

One popular comment claimed that the low threshold is “a s**tty excuse to not optimize your game.”

As a gaming enthusiast, I firmly believe that a first-person game should ideally run at 60 frames per second (fps). At the very least, it’s essential for developers to offer this option, as many contemporary games do today.

A third remark drew a parallel with Starfield, as it initially lacked the 60fps at launch, later acknowledging its importance, and swiftly implemented it in an update shortly thereafter.

In February 2025, it’s expected that Avowed will be launched. This will reveal if Obsidian chooses to go with a frame rate of 30 per second or decides to prioritize 60fps for the more potent PCs and Series X consoles instead.

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2024-08-23 19:42