Avowed's massive anniversary update adds new playable races, but they don't get any unique dialogue because there were 'no dedicated narrative people available'
PC Gamer
by Fraser Brown February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Avowed's 2.0 anniversary update introduces three new playable races—dwarves, orlans, and aumauas—but falls short on unique dialogue due to limited narrative resources. While these races offer distinct gameplay bonuses and visual aesthetics, they lack the immersive storytelling elements that define Obsidian’s RPGs. The absence of dedicated narrative staff during development meant no tailored in-game conversations based on race, leaving roleplayers feeling underwhelmed despite the mechanical depth.
The update is a substantial one, adding features like NG+, custom difficulty modifiers, and a new photo mode alongside the new races. In Avowed’s lore, humans and elves dominate the world of Eora, making this addition a significant expansion for players seeking more diversity in character creation. While this marks a departure from Obsidian’s usual approach to race integration, which often includes rich narrative branches, the focus here was on technical execution over storytelling.
Gameplay director Gabe Paramo explained that the team prioritized ensuring compatibility across races with existing systems like character customization and interactions. However, without narrative input, the new races feel
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Originally published on PC Gamer on 2/19/2026