Avowed is Obsidian Entertainment's February 2025 first-person fantasy RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, and the online meme cycle around its reception and Skyrim comparisons.

Where did Avowed come from?

The game was announced by Obsidian on July 23, 2020 and released in early access on February 13, 2025, with the meme cycle spiking on X and Reddit in the days after launch.

What does Avowed mean?

It is the game's title, but online it also points to the whole meme cycle: Skyrim comparison posts, the John Avowed search mix-up, and the Packmule's Burden ring.

How do you use the Avowed meme?

Common uses include unfavorable comparison edits against Skyrim or Daggerfall, overlaying Nitin Gadkari as John Avowed onto game screenshots, and pointing out in-game Skyrim references.

Is the Avowed meme still popular?

The meme peaked in the February 2025 launch window with several million-view X posts, and activity dropped off after the initial release cycle.

John Avowed is a nickname the Avowed subreddit gave to Indian politician Nitin Gadkari after Google search results for the game's release date kept displaying him, echoing the 'John Halo' joke about Master Chief.

What is The Packmule's Burden ring?

It is a unique in-game ring in Avowed whose flavor text describes a squire 'sworn to carry the burdens' of his knight, a direct reference to Lydia's infamous Skyrim dialogue line.

Why did people compare Avowed to Skyrim?

Initial expectations from the 2020 reveal read Avowed as Obsidian's answer to Skyrim, so when the smaller-scale RPG shipped, viral posts framed it as falling short of that older Bethesda title.

Did Avowed's director respond to the Skyrim comparisons?

Yes. Director Carrie Patel told Game Informer that The Outer Worlds gave a much clearer idea of Avowed's scope and quest structure than Skyrim did.

When did Avowed release?

Avowed launched in early access on February 13, 2025 for premium edition buyers and had its full release on February 18, 2025.

What was the Toddroll post about Avowed?

On February 14, 2025, X user @Julia_CaSsian posted a Toddroll edit about Avowed that gained over 5.7 million views, 5,400 reposts, and 78,000 likes in a week.

Avowed

2025video game reception memedeclining

Published September 10, 2026

Avowed is Obsidian Entertainment's fantasy RPG that released February 2025 and turned into a running online joke as players compared it to Bethesda's Skyrim despite the developer's insistence otherwise. The wider meme cycle covers viral X posts about mismatched expectations, an in-game Easter egg ring that trolls Skyrim, and the 'John Avowed' search engine mix-up.

internet memes

Overview

Avowed is the online meme cycle around Obsidian Entertainment's February 2025 fantasy RPG, which drew relentless comparisons to Bethesda's 2011 game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim despite the studio pushing back on that framing for years1. The game itself is a first-person adventure set in the Pillars of Eternity universe of Eora, with the player cast as the Envoy of the Emperor investigating a mysterious plague3. Reviews were generally positive, but the wider internet conversation quickly turned the launch into a running joke about mismatched expectations3.

Several distinct meme threads grew out of the release window. Viral X posts framed Avowed as a failed Skyrim successor, mockingly ranking it below older Elder Scrolls titles3. A separate strain called 'John Avowed' started when Google search results for the release date kept surfacing Indian politician Nitin Gadkari waving next to the February 18 date2. Obsidian itself seemed to lean into the Skyrim discourse with an in-game ring called The Packmule's Burden, whose flavor text winks at Lydia, one of Skyrim's most memed-about NPCs4.

Origin & Background

Platform

X / Reddit (viral spread)

Creator

Obsidian Entertainment; meme spread driven by X and Reddit users

Date

2025

Avowed

Overview

Origin & Background

Frequently Asked Questions

References (6)