I have a confession: I am the kind of RPG player who spends ten minutes picking a romance route and then twenty hours pretending I did not care. So when Obsidian made it clear that Avowed would not include romance, I did what any mature adult would do — I made finger guns at my monitor and whispered, 'Fine. I did not want to hold hands in the Living Lands anyway.'
Now that we are sitting here in 2026, with Avowed long since out of the 'upcoming' phase, the no-romance conversation feels less like a rumor and more like a very Obsidian-shaped tradition. And honestly? I get it, even if my inner bard is sulking in a corner. Obsidian has said that romance is a very difficult feature to do well, which is the game-development equivalent of saying, 'We looked at this spaghetti code and decided not to add a second sauce.' Respectable. Slightly disappointing. Very on brand.
The companions are still the point
Avowed is set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, and it brings along the companion structure fans expect from Obsidian. During the journey through the Living Lands, players can find and recruit companions, and two confirmed names are Kai and Giatta. They both sound like people I would absolutely annoy with too many questions, but neither is romanceable. Instead, the game is expected to use an affinity system — the classic 'your choices shape how close you get' mechanic — to determine the extent of your relationship with them.
That is fine. Great, even. I do not need every deep companion bond to end with a candlelit dinner and a dialogue wheel shaped like a heart. Sometimes I just want a buddy who judges my loot choices and sighs at my moral compass.
Here is the quick reference table I keep in my head, because my brain refuses to store useful information like tax deadlines:
| Game | Romance? | Companion flavor |
|---|---|---|
| Pillars of Eternity | No | Obsidian's early companion groundwork |
| Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire | Yes | The last Obsidian game with romance options |
| The Outer Worlds | No | Approval ratings; companions could leave if they disagreed with you |
| Avowed | No | Kai, Giatta, and an affinity system |
| The Outer Worlds 2 | Very likely no, unless officially stated otherwise | The tradition probably continues |
Obsidian's stance is not exactly a plot twist
The frustrating part — and I say this with love — is that Obsidian has been pretty consistent about this. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire let players romance companions, but that was the last Obsidian game to do so. Since then, the studio has leaned toward companion approval, affinity, and relationship-building that stops just short of kissing. The Outer Worlds had several companions with approval ratings, and if they disagreed with the player's actions, they could leave the field. That is a strong relationship mechanic. It is also not a romance mechanic. Obsidian has framed its approach around player choice, suggesting romance can hinder that freedom rather than enhance it.
As a player, I can see both sides. On one hand, romance in RPGs is fun, messy, and a reliable source of fan art. On the other hand, writing a romance that does not feel like a vending machine for affection is genuinely hard. Obsidian would rather give me a companion who has opinions about my actions than a companion who has a romance meter that goes up when I pick the nice dialogue option. I respect the restraint. I also reserve the right to pout about it.
So what does this mean for The Outer Worlds 2?
This is where my 2026 brain puts on its speculative hat. The Outer Worlds 2 is the sequel to Obsidian's 2019 action RPG, and based on the studio's recent history, the safe assumption is that companions will return with approval systems and relationship arcs, but not romance. Nothing has been confirmed to the contrary, and Avowed's lack of romance only reinforces the pattern. Could Obsidian break tradition? Sure. Game studios change. Maybe someone at Obsidian woke up and thought, 'You know what this space adventure needs? A slow-burn romance with a morally ambiguous scientist.' But until official news says otherwise, I am not budgeting emotional energy for it.
My advice? Enjoy the companions for who they are: people with opinions, baggage, and possibly a willingness to leave your party if you are a jerk. Build affinity. Make choices. Do finger guns. And if you are like me and still want romance, well, there is always fan fiction. Obsidian has given us plenty of material, and my imagination has never needed an approval rating.
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