THE FUSE

In the lead-up to the February 2025 release of action RPG Avowed, developer Obsidian Entertainment warned players not to expect any romance in the game. “We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters,” game director Carrie Patel told IGN a full year before its release. “Ultimately, I personally am a fan of making [romance] an option, but I feel like if you’re going to do it, you really, really have to commit and make sure that you’re giving all to fulfilling that in a way that feels both true to the character, but also creates an engaging player experience. So not something we’re doing for Avowed, but I wouldn’t say never.”