Summary
Several developers atObsidian Entertainmenthave pitched a tactics game set in thePillars of Eternityuniverse. This information was revealed by Pillars of Eternity, Fallout: New Vegas and Pentiment game director Josh Sawyer in an interview withLimit Break Network.
Sawyer was asked whether Obsidian had considered any other projects set in Eora (the world of Pillars of Eternity) besides the studio’s upcoming RPGAvowed. Sawyer isn’t directly involved with the development of Avowed, though as the creator of the game’s setting, he’s more than willing to give his opinion on certain concepts when asked.
From CRPG to SRPG
Sawyer’s answer was an interesting one: “There have been a number of people at the studio who have floated the idea of a Pillars tactics game,” Sawyer begins. “Tactics games are very interesting to me and they occupy a really interesting place in the marketplace because the audience for them is not huge typically but very passionate, people who are into SRPGs, tactical RPGs, they’ll play a lot of them even if they’re not that good…”
He goes on to say the ceiling for this genre isn’t very high, despite some “breakout hits” like Fire Emblem. The problem with developing a tactics game at Obsidian is that the logistics are uncertain, but several people at the studio including Sawyer have pitched a Pillars of Eternity tactics game, and he hopes it can happen “someday.”
While the Obsidian veteran would certainly like to make Pillars of Eternity 3 at some point, he’s expressed that he wouldn’t do it without a Baldur’s Gate 3-sized budget, around $100 million. This is approximately $95 million more than what it cost Obsidian to create Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. Sawyer has also expressed that he feels a bitout of touch with modern CRPG fansfollowing the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. One of his specific pain points is the style of romance in these party-based RPGs, which he commented on all the way back in 2006, saying it felt like love was being reduced to “shallow, masturbatory fantasy indulgence,” and characters were being cheapened to appease player fantasy.
As for Avowed, the RPG wasrecently delayed to Jul 21, 2025. This was done so the game would have a less competitive release window, rather than because of any technical issues.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
WHERE TO PLAY
Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire is the direct sequel to Obsidian’s popular party-based RPG. Set five years after the events of the first game, you once again you play as a Watcher. This time, you’ll take to the seas in order to hunt down the awakened god, Eothas.
