Pillars of Eternity
The Kickstarter resurrection
Obsidian Entertainment's crowdfunded Pillars of Eternity revived the classic isometric RPG, proving appetite remained for deep, text-heavy adventures.
When Obsidian Entertainment launched a Kickstarter for a spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate, backers pledged $4 million. Pillars of Eternity delivered on the promise: an original fantasy world with deep lore, party-based combat, meaningful choices, and walls of text. The CRPG genre, seemingly extinct, proved it had only been dormant.
Fast facts
- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment.
- Publisher: Paradox Interactive.
- Director: Josh Sawyer.
- Crowdfunding: $4.16 million via Kickstarter (2012).
- Engine: Unity (custom isometric).
- Sequel: Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (2018).
Design philosophy
Honouring the classics:
- Isometric perspective: top-down party management.
- Real-time with pause: Baldur’s Gate combat model.
- Text-heavy: extensive dialogue and lore.
- Choices matter: decisions affect world and endings.
The setting
Eora’s unique elements:
- Souls: measurable, transferable spiritual essence.
- Reincarnation: souls return in new bodies.
- Gods: demonstrably real, actively interventionist.
- Colonial themes: exploration and exploitation.