A decade following its debut, Obsidian’s isometric RPG, Pillars of Eternity, has unexpectedly received a significant update, as revealed by Andy Chalk in a report published just a few hours ago.
While Baldur’s Gate 3 continues to dominate conversations as a groundbreaking isometric party-based RPG, many argue that Pillars of Eternity was the game that set the genre in motion. Back in 2015, we hailed it as “a deep, rich, and wonderfully written RPG that lives up to the towering legacy of the games that inspired it,” earning a stellar 92% review score.
The Surprise Update
Fast forward almost ten years, and fans are taken aback by Obsidian’s release of a brand new patch for Pillars of Eternity, now available in the game’s beta branch on Steam. Although the patch doesn’t introduce fresh content, it addresses a significant number of bugs and gameplay issues. While there are no game-breaking problems on the list, the fixes range from resolving unexpected T-poses and audio trigger issues to eliminating slowness during intro skips and inaccessible areas in various scenes.
Curious Exclusions
Curiously, the patch doesn’t bring in any of the new features from its sequel, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. When a fan inquired about a turn-based mode, which was added to Pillars 2 post-launch, Obsidian’s design director, Josh Sawyer, hinted that technical limitations would prevent such an addition.
Speculations and Optimism
So, why is a nearly decade-old RPG receiving a new patch? Some speculate that with the upcoming release of Avowed, Obsidian’s first-person RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, the studio aims to ensure everything is finely tuned for newcomers. Others hope it might hint at the development of Pillars of Eternity 3. Sawyer expressed interest in a third game but emphasized the need for a budget comparable to Baldur’s Gate 3’s.
Growing Optimism
The optimism surrounding Pillars of Eternity 3 has grown, especially considering the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Obsidian’s potential access to Microsoft resources. Phil Spencer, Xbox boss, revealed his affinity for Pillars by logging 124 hours in the game, placing him in the top 5% of its most active players.
Conclusion
To witness the new Pillars of Eternity patch in action, navigate to the game’s beta branch on Steam. The update, while not introducing new features, significantly enhances the overall experience by addressing various visual, audio, quest, combat, and user interface issues. Whether this surprise update signals the development of Pillars of Eternity 3 or simply ensures the game’s optimal condition for the upcoming Avowed release remains to be seen.
