Obsidian Introduces Turn-Based Combat to Pillars of Eternity After a Decade

Pillars of Eternity has long held a special place in the hearts of CRPG fans, and today marks a decade since its debut. Recently, it’s been back in the spotlight—or perhaps catching the eye of newcomers—thanks to the buzz surrounding Avowed, set in the same richly crafted world of Eora that Pillars introduced us to. With these exciting times for fans, Obsidian has pulled a surprise out of the hat. Despite being deep in development with Avowed, preparing The Outer Worlds 2 for its upcoming release, and no doubt cooking up future projects, Obsidian has managed to carve out some time to add a revolutionary feature to the beloved Pillars of Eternity. By the end of the year, players will be able to experience the game with turn-based combat.

When Pillars of Eternity launched in 2015, it was hailed as a spiritual successor to the classic Baldur’s Gate series. But in the wake of Baldur’s Gate 3—widely acclaimed as one of the greatest RPGs ever, particularly for its turn-based gameplay—Obsidian seems keen to offer their own take on this popular combat style. In a recent update on their forums, the developers shared their enthusiasm about this new venture, stating they’re “excited to explore this new way to experience encounters in Pillars of Eternity.”

For those who have journeyed through PoE once, or even multiple times, this new feature offers a perfect excuse to plunge back in. And for fans of Baldur’s Gate 3 who might not have explored Pillars yet, it’s a tempting invitation now that the game is enjoying a resurgence in attention courtesy of Avowed.

Obsidian has announced that fans can look forward to testing the new turn-based combat soon, with availability promised “later this year.” It’s rather impressive to see such a significant update for a game that’s been around for ten years, especially when Obsidian has its hands full with other big projects.

Alongside this exciting announcement, Pillars of Eternity also received a beefy patch update today. It includes enhanced visuals, questline improvements, and a host of bug fixes. If you’re a seasoned player or considering diving in, you can check out the complete list of updates and improvements.

While we wait to hear more about Obsidian’s ambitious turn-based overhaul of Pillars of Eternity, why not explore other fantastic single-player and fantasy games out there?

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