Obsidian's Avowed, now available in early access, has surprised players with a romantic subplot, despite previous statements from the developers. While Obsidian had previously stated Avowed wouldn't include a dedicated romance system, focusing instead on "thoughtful relationships" with companions, early access players report at least one companion, Kai, exhibiting romantic interest in the player character.

This contradicts earlier statements by Avowed game director Carrie Patel, who, in an IGN interview, explained the decision to avoid a traditional romance system: "We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters," Patel 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."

Major Spoilers for interactions with Kai follow. Proceed with caution!

**Warning! Avowed spoilers follow:

The unexpected romantic element involving Kai has sparked discussion among players and reviewers, highlighting a divergence between initial developer statements and the actual in-game experience. The extent of the romance and its impact on the overall narrative remains to be seen for those yet to experience the game.