Carrie Patel Moves from Obsidian to Netflix’s Night School Studio
After more than 11 years at Obsidian Entertainment, Carrie Patel, the Game Director behind the acclaimed Avowed, has made the significant decision to join Netflix. Specifically, she will contribute her expertise to Night School Studio, the talented team known for the popular Oxenfree franchise. Patel announced her career transition on her LinkedIn page.
Unexpected Departure Amidst Success
This news comes as a surprise to many industry observers. Just recently, Patel expressed enthusiasm for exploring further developments within the rich universe of Avowed. She conveyed her sentiments about enhancing both the world-building and gameplay experience:
Now that we’ve built this wonderful world, and also built this team strength and muscle memory around the content and gameplay in this world, I’d love to see us do more with it.
Insights on the Shift
The circumstances surrounding Patel’s departure do not indicate any discord with Obsidian. It is plausible that she was presented with an appealing opportunity that encouraged her to explore a new path in her career.
Challenges at Night School Studio
Interestingly, just three months prior, Night School Studio experienced layoffs, although the specifics remain undisclosed. Following the successful release of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals in 2023, the studio has also launched a mobile life simulation game, Thronglets, inspired by the Black Mirror franchise. Given Patel’s impressive background in the RPG genre—including her work on the Pillars of Eternity series and The Outer Worlds—there is speculation that Night School Studio might pivot towards RPG development in its future projects.
What Lies Ahead for Avowed
Meanwhile, Avowed continues to thrive, having just released a comprehensive roadmap outlining forthcoming updates. The upcoming summer patch is set to introduce enhanced NPC behaviors, new abilities, unique armor and weapons, alongside improvements in cooking and crafting systems, and custom map markers. Players can look forward to the fall update, which promises to bring highly anticipated features such as a Photo Mode, New Game Plus, an additional weapon type, and enhanced character customization options, including more Godlike character presets.
As Carrie Patel embarks on this new chapter of her career at Night School Studio, the gaming community remains curious about the impact of her leadership on upcoming projects, as well as the continued evolution of Avowed.
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