Obsidian Entertainment surprises by updating Pillars of Eternity nearly ten years later, emphasizing bug fixes and enhancements.
Obsidian Entertainment has pleasantly surprised fans by releasing a new update for Pillars of Eternity, nearly 9 years after the game’s initial launch. However, this update primarily addresses bug fixes rather than introducing new content or significant changes to the game.
Launched in March 2015, Pillars of Eternity arrived during a period when CRPGs (Classic Computer Role-Playing Games) were not in the spotlight. Positioning itself as a spiritual successor to classic titles like Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale, Pillars of Eternity garnered acclaim from critics and played a pivotal role in reviving interest in the CRPG genre. Its success paved the way for other notable titles in the genre, including Disco Elysium and Baldur’s Gate 3.
The latest update for Pillars of Eternity is currently available as part of Steam’s beta branch. Obsidian has detailed the full patch notes on its official forums, highlighting numerous bug fixes. The fixes address visual and audio bugs, user interface issues, and navigation problems. Additionally, Pillars of Eternity’s Unity game engine has been updated to a new version.
This unexpected update surprised gamers, sparking speculation that Obsidian is refining its older title to attract new CRPG enthusiasts. The recent success of Baldur’s Gate 3, which received multiple awards in 2023, may have inspired Obsidian to enhance the gameplay experience of its previous titles, providing a polished journey for fans anticipating the upcoming release of Avowed.
Obsidian Entertainment is currently developing Avowed,
An action role-playing game set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity. Avowed offers a first-person perspective, deviating from the traditional isometric view found in Pillars of Eternity. Initially announced in 2020 at the Xbox Games Showcase, Avowed showcased its official gameplay trailer in 2023.
This unexpected update to Pillars of Eternity may also be a strategic move by Obsidian to prepare gamers for the release of Avowed. Players interested in the upcoming title might want to revisit Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity 2, and refining the gameplay experience of these titles ensures a smoother transition for fans making the leap to the upcoming release.
Pillars of Eternity Patch Notes Include:
General:
- Updated to Unity Version 2019.4.11.
Navigation:
- Fixed areas that could not be navigated in numerous scenes.
- The lake in Cayron’s Scar should no longer be unintentionally traversable when submerged.
Visual and Audio:
- Fixed cases where characters might T-Pose briefly at the beginning of a cutscene.
- Fixed blurry paperdolls in character creation and inventory screens.
- Overwhelming Wave should more reliably play its visual effects.
- Fixed VFX issues with the Woodskin spell rotating or attaching incorrectly.
- Symbols in the western chamber of Lle a Rhemen should now properly light up.
- Fixed redundant horn audio playing after the battle of Yenwood.
- Fixed issues where dialogue audio wouldn’t play when certain nodes were re-triggered.
[Note: The patch notes cover more categories, but a selection of highlights is provided here.]
