Dev Calls Baldur’s Gate 3 An Anomaly That Can Kill Other Studios

He made an argument on why it shouldn't be the baseline for RPGs.

Story Highlights

  • After some RPG fans started considering Baldur’s Gate 3 as the new baseline for the genre, the head of the Strange Scaffold Studios presented some points to prove otherwise.
  • He called it an anomaly and said that if the studios don’t have the same resources as Larian Studios, developing a similar project could kill them.
  • According to him, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a culmination of massive resources, time, community, and support, all intended to create this single game.
  • He further stated that if Larian decides to go above and beyond with the next title, it can kill itself due to the huge risk.

Head of Strange Scaffold Studios, Xalavier Nelson Jr., recently made a thread on why Baldur’s Gate 3 should not be considered the new baseline for RPGs. The game’s long dev cycle, inspiration and resources from previous iterations, and the 3-year-long early access period have given Larian Studios the necessary materials to build this game. If other studios were to create a similar scale without those resources, it could potentially kill them.

The experienced developer started by acknowledging Larian Studios’ work on Baldur’s Gate 3 and raised some important points to educate players on the resources it took to build a game of this scale. He hoped it would “push back against players taking that excitement and using it to apply criticism or a ‘raised standard’ to RPGs going forward.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been developing since 2017, with around 3 years of early access. The long dev cycle and early access period have given them enough time to fix many bugs and change some aspects to better appeal to the fanbase. This is easier said than done because such long periods would require a hefty amount of cash flow to keep the development going.

Larian Studios has over 400 employees in 7 different locations globally working on this one title, and that excludes the outsourcing partners. Employing such a massive team and having them constantly polish a game like this is not a cheap task. Nevertheless, the studio had previous iterations and their definitive editions to draw an outline for Baldur’s Gate 3.

YouTube video

It should still be noted that Larian Studios built this game’s foundation from scratch, culminating in the series as we know it. Even if we don’t consider the licensing of one of the biggest IPs, putting those kinds of resources is a hefty task, one that not many studios undertake. It is why Nelson called Baldur’s Gate 3 an anomaly, and his argument is reasonable.

Being the head of Strange Scaffold Studios and the writer for Stranger Things VR, the developer has plenty of experience in the matter. He knows the risks and rewards of this game for Larian Studios, which he described as.

If they go as big or bigger with their next title, Larian themselves could die! That’s the risk and reward of the megagame. We are an industry dangling elephants over cliffs, pointing at the ones that don’t collapse under their own weight as indictments to the ones that do,” says Xalavier Nelson Jr.

 

Baldur’s Gate 3 is an RPG developed and published by Larian Studios. The game has been in early access on PC and macOS since October 6, 2020. The full version will be released on August 3, 2023, and the PlayStation 5 release will follow on September 6. As for the Xbox Series X|S release, it is confirmed to be still in development.

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Mudassir is a seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering the stories behind our favorite virtual worlds. Armed with a trusty notepad and a keen curiosity, he dives headfirst into the gaming industry's most exciting personalities. His knack for insightful questions and his ability to connect with developers and gamers alike makes his interviews a must-read. While on the lookout for the next person to interview, Mudassir keeps himself busy by writing news surrounding the gaming universe. Experience: 4+ Years || Senior Journalist || Education: Bachelor's in Psychology.

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