Avowed Skips Xbox Cloud Gaming for NVIDIA GeForce Now, Sparking Controversy Among Fans
Avowed, the highly anticipated title from Obsidian Entertainment—creators of Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity—launched in Early Access yesterday to a wave of positive feedback from players. Available exclusively on Xbox and Steam, the game offers a premium early access option for an additional $10, with plans to debut on Xbox Game Pass next week. However, controversy quickly arose when it was revealed that Avowed’s early access was not available on Xbox Cloud Gaming, as detailed by Windows Central. Despite premium buyers expecting advanced access via Xbox Cloud Gaming, the service will only support the game starting next week.
In a move that has left many in the Xbox community scratching their heads, Avowed’s early access is currently accessible on NVIDIA GeForce Now—a direct competitor to Microsoft’s cloud gaming service. Given that Obsidian Entertainment is part of Xbox Game Studios, this decision appears counterintuitive, especially when considering the recent price hike for the Ultimate Game Pass subscription. Critics argue that loyal customers should be rewarded with early access benefits on Microsoft’s own cloud platform, particularly when the new “buy to own” feature on Xbox Cloud Gaming supports DLC entitlements for premium game editions. This issue has been further amplified by reports on X, where a user shared their disappointment after purchasing the Premium Edition only to find it missing from Xbox Cloud Gaming
At this time, Microsoft has not provided an explanation for this oversight or strategic decision, leaving the community to speculate whether this was a simple misstep or an intentional move to favor a rival service. As discussions continue across social media and gaming forums, many Xbox fans feel that they are not receiving the full value of their subscription, and they are calling for a prompt resolution from Microsoft.
What are your thoughts on Avowed’s cloud gaming strategy? Do you think this was an oversight or a deliberate decision to leverage NVIDIA GeForce Now? Share your insights in the comments below!"
