Obsidian's Avowed, now available in early access, has players exploring the Living Lands and encountering magic, peril, and surprisingly, romance. While Obsidian previously stated Avowed wouldn't feature a dedicated romance system, opting instead for "thoughtful relationships" with companions, early access players are reporting romantic interactions.
Game director Carrie Patel, in an IGN interview, explained their decision: "We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters," she stated. "Ultimately, I personally am a fan of making that an option, but I feel like if you're going to do it, you really, really have to commit and make sure that you're giving all to fulfilling that in a way that feels both true to the character, but also creates an engaging player experience. So not something we're doing for Avowed, but I wouldn't say never."
However, early players and reviewers reveal at least one companion, Kai, develops feelings for the player character. Significant spoilers regarding Kai's interactions follow. Proceed with caution.
Warning! Avowed spoilers ahead!