Obsidian Entertainment‘s upcoming RPG, Avowed, is setting a 30 frames per second (fps) minimum on Xbox Series X|S consoles.
According to Avowed’s art director, Matt Hansen, this decision stems from the belief that “you don’t necessarily need” 60 fps for a first-person, single-player experience. Hansen made these remarks during an appearance on the Iron Lords podcast.
Hansen explained that the choice to prioritize a 30fps baseline allows the team to focus on enhancing the game’s visual effects (VFX) and lighting. He noted, “It’s a trade-off we opted to make relatively early, and we’re really happy with that.” The art director added that despite the frame rate choice, Avowed is running “pretty smooth for how visually dense it is.”
The game, set to launch on February 18, 2025, aims to deliver a visually rich experience. However, the team is still finalizing some aspects of performance. “Stability and optimization are one of the last things you do,” Hansen pointed out.
As Avowed approaches its release, players can expect a focus on visual fidelity over higher frame rates. This approach echoes decisions made in other RPGs, such as Starfield, which added a 60fps mode post-launch.
