Baldur’s Gate 3 was never going to be on Xbox Game Pass, according to Larian Studios Swen Vincke in a new interview. Vincke said to IGN’s Kat Bailey that Baldur’s Gate 3 was never intended for the game service platform as the studio had purposely developed a complete game with a beginning, middle, and end that made it a huge game and it did not include any additional buy-ins such as micro-transactions. This was done as part of a business model to allow Larian Studios to keep making games. The estimated 75-100 hours (per Forbes) to complete the game in a basic playthrough not including going back to more thoroughly explore everything, plus the over 100 GB needed to install it, are a testament to Swen’s claims.
Per Swen Vincke (via IGN):
“Oh, we always said from the get-go, it wasn’t going to be on Game Pass, it’s not going to be on Game Pass. These are sensitive questions. Kat. So look, we are in the business of making a game that has a beginning, middle, and an end. We made a big game, so I think there’s a fair price to be paid for that, and I think that that is okay. We don’t charge you any micro-transactions on top of it, so you get what you pay for. Upfront it’s a big meaty game. So I think that should be able to exist as it is. This is what allows us to continue making other games.”
Game services for consoles, or even NVIDIA’s GeForce Now, can be a two-sided option for game developers. This can similarly be said when a game is free for a time on a specific platform but that’s another story. On one hand, they can provide players a means to more affordably spend on monthly or annual subscriptions to try many different games instead of paying full price for each game purchase. On the other, developers stand to lose out on larger revenue streams when deals with service providers become the end of the road for potential purchases from players who may decide they’ve played enough of a game in the time they had access to it.
Still made it to Xbox
Interestingly enough another Larian Studios exec spoke out to defend Microsoft recently. It was concerning a leaked document showing that Microsoft was planning an extremely low offer of $5 million to get Baldur’s Gate 3 onto Game Pass at launch. While the game may never see the light of day on the service, or at least not any time soon, it has been launched on Xbox. Swen does share that Larien had put in extra effort to optimize the game to run on the X|S consoles as well. Fans of the game should check out the interview as Vincke does go into detail about a number of characters in the game and how player choices affect their playthrough.
Discussion (8 replies)
Join Discussion →Shock... awe... A game made to just be the best version of that game they could make?! Nooo...
I am very glad there is so much great press around this game. Even from nerds of all ilk's thirsting after the voice actors and actresses. It's very cool to see and I hope everyone realizes how good that is for the industry.
People attached to this game are seeing their careers lifted up and the light on them. I don't think many voice performers expect to be catapulted into the lime light like they have been.
Now only if other studio's stop crying that making a game like this is hard and get on with making their own version of the best game they can...
I'm getting a strong Witcher 3 vibe with all the praise this game is getting. No way it can live up to all this hype, and if and when I eventually play it it will probably turn out to be another overrated mid game.
AAA Graphics 6/10 I've seen much better and much worse.
AAA story: 8/10 Story is good not the best ever but it's very well done.
AAA Depth: 12/10 This game has layers of depth and voice acting work done that just constantly blows me away. Who the fudge does voice overs for squirrels that dislike a musician?
The game is good. It's shockingly good compared to everything else on the market. Is it the best game ever? Naaa but is it the best D&D style game in a decade... easily. In 2 decades... maybe. In 3 decades.. my rose colored glasses of the past skew things too much for me to say for sure.
That might be the problem, I have never seen a good D&D style game. That is exactly what scares me, the D&D inspired mechanics.
Oh if you hate that then don't bother. There isn't a setting to get around it.
the first Neverwinter Nights was great. Played the heck out of that game.
It’s the best RPG I’ve played since Baulder’s gate 2. I was skeptical, but it continues the quality of the BG well. Of course, if you didn’t like BG 1 and BG 2, chances are good you won’t like BG3
Those were all before my time, I used to have a staunch anti RPG stance when I was younger. I thought it ridiculous that the game takes place in menus. This lasted well into the 2000s. When I first played Mass Effect I refused to engage with the RPG mechanics, even the inventory. I finished the game with lvl1 gear.