The hype around Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently high, and in the course of the discussions around the role-playing game, many developers came forward on Twitter to analyse the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has been praised to the skies at least since the big presentation a few days ago. In the social media, many are talking about how Larian’s role-playing game will set new standards when it comes to the future development of role-playing games.
However, a big thread is now causing a stir in which many well-known developers are taking up this thesis. It is often talked about that Larian is creating something unique here, which is hardly reproducible for many other studios.
Because only Larian currently has all the prerequisites to independently develop a role-playing game on the scale of Baldur’s Gates 3 without breaking.
Anything but exemplary
The original post on this topic was written by Xalavier Nelson Jr, studio head of the small development studio Strange Scaffold. Here, Xalavier addresses the view that other studios should take Baldur’s Gate 3 as an example and that there is no longer any excuse not to develop a game exactly like it.
Like a lot of people, I’m deeply excited about what the lovely folks at Larian accomplished with Baldur’s Gate 3, but I want to gently, pre-emptively push back against players taking that excitement and using it to apply criticism or a “raised standard” to RPGs going forward
1/10– Xalavier Nelson Jr (@WritNelson) July 8, 2023
Xalavier disagrees, stating how unique Larian’s prerequisites currently are. These prerequisites, according to Xalavier, include …
- .. that development has been ongoing since 2017.
- .. that Larian relies on the technology of the two original Sin games and is now very familiar with it.
- .. that Early Access was extremely successful, lasting three years and contributing heaps of feedback, bug solutions and cash flow.
- .. that it involved over 400 developers, in seven locations around the world.
- .. that the licence means something to people, and that with D&D, we are betting on an IP that is currently more popular than ever before.
These are said to be just a few of the many reasons why Larian can pull off the project. According to Xavier, Baldur’s Gate 3 is not a textbook example, but an anomaly that would have broken many other studios. A unique blend of expertise, resources, licensing and tools.
Other developers and experts agree
There is a lively exchange about the thesis in the comments. Especially in developer circles the thread is making its rounds and many other developers from other studios agree with Xalavier. For example, Josh Sawyer from Obsidian:
writes
The conditions under which BG3 was created are atypical. This is not a dig at the game or against the developers, who are obviously passionate and talented. A solid foundation and secured funding to build everything independently is priceless.
– Josh Sawyer
Chris Balser, who worked on Diablo 4 as a senior designer at Blizzard, also stresses how important development conditions are when looking at a game’s impact.
People usually only look at the fruits of labour, but not the labour itself. It has always been like that. The same goes for people who wonder why there are so few artists who paint like Renaissance masters.
– Chris Balser
From Munich-based studio Grimlore Games Rebecca Harwick has her say, calling Baldur’s Gate 3 a once-in-a-lifetime RPG
You can’t get upset about how much big games like this cost AND declare these lavish productions the standard against which all games must measure themselves. I hope Baldur’s Gate 3 is a classy once-in-a-lifetime RPG, I hope no one expects a 10, 20, 40-person team to make one of these.
What’s your opinion on this? Do you agree with the developers or do you think that many other studios should follow their example? What do you expect from Baldur’s Gate 3 and are you already sure that this game will live up to the expectations or can it still be that a little disappointment remains in the end? Write us your thoughts in the comments!
