Obsidian Veteran Director Departs for Netflix's Oxenfree Studio

Avowed director Carrie Patel has departed from the legendary RPG studio Obsidian Entertainment, just a few months after the launch of its most recent title.

In an update on her LinkedIn profile, Patel revealed she has started a new position at Night School, the Netflix-owned developer known for the Oxenfree series of narrative adventure games.

"I'm excited to share that I am beginning a new role as Game Director at Night School: A Netflix Game Studio!" Patel wrote in a concise update. She will once again serve as a game director at Night School, though her specific project has not yet been announced.

Night School is best known for its Oxenfree franchise, the latest installment being 2023's Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals. The Netflix studio released the Black Mirror spin-off Thronglets earlier this year, around the same time it underwent an undisclosed number of layoffs. Months prior, Netflix had completely shut down another one of its internal studios, which was working on a AAA title led by Halo veteran Joseph Staten.

Patel was a veteran at Avowed developer Obsidian, having spent over 11 years in various senior roles on projects like the Xbox sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds and the classic Pillars of Eternity series.

Most recently, Patel took on the directorship of Avowed after the project underwent a reboot early in development. Originally, Avowed was conceived with a darker fantasy tone similar to The Elder Scrolls, featuring one expansive open world and multiplayer co-op.

Ultimately, Patel guided the game to launch as a brighter, more visually distinct experience, featuring several large individual maps to explore and a strictly single-player focus.

Avowed - Xbox Developer Direct Screenshots

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The response to Avowed was largely positive, and Patel had initially discussed plans to continue the franchise—through expansions, a full sequel, or both. Now, however, she will not be part of those future developments.

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

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

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