Avowed skipped its fall patch — Obsidian is bundling everything into a huge February 2026

What this delay actually means for Avowed players

Obsidian just pushed Avowed’s planned fall update into a larger first‑anniversary package due in February 2026. That’s not just calendar shuffling – it changes how you should play the game between now and then, what to hoard, and whether you should restart a new save today. The anniversary update promises New Game Plus, Photo Mode, a new weapon type, fresh character presets, more Godlike options, appearance tweaks and a grab bag of unspecified extras – plus long‑needed achievement fixes. For players, the core takeaway is simple: this is a bigger, cleaner patch, but you’ll be waiting longer.

• This caught my attention because Avowed launched only in February 2025, and Obsidian is choosing a heavy refinement cycle over drip‑feeding smaller updates.
• Confirmed inclusions: New Game Plus, Photo Mode, a new weapon, new presets, appearance changes, and achievement fixes.
• What’s unclear: the unspecified “additional features” and whether promised content will land without future delays.

Breaking down the Anniversary update – what’s actually confirmed

Obsidian says the February 2026 update will fold in everything planned for Fall 2025 and then some. The headliners are straightforward: a New Game Plus mode that carries over your character and gear (with tougher enemies and new loot), a Photo Mode for the game’s pretty vistas, a whole new weapon type that will likely shake up builds, and several new character presets. Achievement fixes are explicitly called out, which is welcome given reports of unobtainable trophies and broken tracking.

Those features matter differently to different players. NG+ is a big deal for endgame grinders and completionists because it extends replay value without forcing a fresh identity every run. Photo Mode doesn’t change gameplay, but for a visually ambitious fantasy RPG it’s a cheap quality‑of‑life win that boosts community sharing and free marketing. The new weapon type and presets are the real gameplay levers — they can shift class balance, enable new hybrid builds, and encourage people to come back and experiment.

Why Obsidian might have made this call

Obsidian’s track record (Pillars of Eternity, The Outer Worlds, Fallout: New Vegas alumni) shows they favor reputation and long‑term engagement over half‑finished patches. Bundling features into one notable anniversary drop keeps momentum around the game and creates an event moment — particularly important for a Game Pass title where visibility matters. That said, the delay raises reasonable questions: is the team polishing, or reprioritizing because of scope creep? “Additional features” is PR speak until the studio names them.

What gamers should do now — practical tips

• Finish the main story if you want immediate NG+ access post‑update — NG+ will likely require a completed run.
• Save skill points, currency, and any upgrade mats if you plan to test the new weapon or reroll presets; you’ll want flexibility at launch.
• Avoid completing achievement‑related tasks you care deeply about until February if they’re reported buggy — you could lose the chance to earn them properly.
• Scout scenic spots now for Photo Mode: take mental notes of vistas, NPC setups, and lighting windows so your first screenshots look great.
• Join the community (Discord, subreddits) to catch beta previews or reveal streams — Obsidian has used those channels for community testing before.

What to be skeptical about

“Larger, more comprehensive” updates are appealing, but they can also be a way to paper over slower development or shifting priorities. The vague promise of more features and the decision to fold multiple milestones into one big release makes it easier for future slippage to hide — and harder for players to track what was actually delivered. Keep an eye on detailed patch notes when February rolls around, and don’t assume everything will land at once on day one.

Why this matters beyond Avowed

This move is part of a wider trend: studios turning discrete seasonal patches into fewer, heavier “event” drops to regain attention in a noisy market. For Obsidian, it’s also about protecting a post‑launch lifecycle for a single‑player RPG in a live games era. If the anniversary update delivers solid NG+, balanced new weapons, and real fixes to achievements, Avowed’s longevity looks stronger. If it stumbles, players will remember the missed fall window.

TL;DR

Obsidian delayed the Fall update to deliver a beefier first‑anniversary update in Feb 2026 that includes NG+, Photo Mode, a new weapon, presets, appearance changes, and achievement fixes. It’s a promising consolidation that increases the stakes — but the studio needs to prove the wait was worth it with transparent patch notes and timely delivery. In the meantime: finish the main story, hoard resources, and keep an eye on community channels.