Obsidian Director Departs for Netflix's Oxenfree Team

Avowed Game Director Carrie Patel has departed from acclaimed RPG creator Obsidian Entertainment, just a few months following the release of her latest project.

In a recent update to her LinkedIn profile, Patel announced that she has started a new role at Night School, the Netflix-owned studio known for the Oxenfree narrative adventure series.

"I'm thrilled to share that I've begun a new position as Game Director at Night School: A Netflix Game Studio!" Patel wrote in a short update. Her new role at Night School will once again be as a game director, though the specific project she will lead has not yet been revealed.

Night School is best known for the Oxenfree series, with the latest installment being Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals in 2023. Earlier this year, the Netflix-owned developer released the Black Mirror spinoff Thronglets, around the same time it underwent an unspecified number of staff reductions. Months prior, Netflix also shut down another internal studio that was developing a AAA title led by Halo veteran Joseph Staten.

Patel was a long-time veteran of Obsidian, the developer behind Avowed, having worked there for over 11 years in senior roles on titles such as the sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds and the classic Pillars of Eternity series.

More recently, Patel took over as director of Avowed after the game underwent a reboot early in development. Initially, Avowed was conceived with a darker fantasy tone closer to The Elder Scrolls, featuring one large open world and multiplayer co-op.

Ultimately, Patel guided the project toward a brighter, more visually distinct experience with multiple large maps to explore and a completely single-player focus.

Avowed - Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots

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The reception for Avowed was largely positive, and Patel had previously discussed plans to expand the franchise—whether through downloadable content, a full sequel, or both. Now, however, she will not be involved in those future developments.

An Avowed development roadmap announced last week outlined a series of mostly minor free additions arriving over the next six months, including a Photo Mode and New Game Plus feature.

"With outstanding worldbuilding and excellent character writing, Avowed reminds me why I originally fell in love with Obsidian's RPGs," states IGN's Avowed review. "That said, the overall experience plays it quite safe, delivering a by-the-numbers fantasy adventure that feels more familiar than innovative."

Obsidian's next upcoming release is The Outer Worlds 2, which is scheduled to be showcased in depth at this year's Xbox Games Showcase in June.