Baldur’s Gate 3, Divinity Original Sin 2 and Larian Studios have released some of the best western role-playing games in recent years. But can we hope to see them on PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass one day?
Larian Studios was far from expecting such success, but Baldur’s Gate 3 swept away everything that came its way. Leading sales on manufacturer platforms, records on Steam, awards and GOTYs, you name it, the CRPG has won over millions of players. What if he screwed over the most recalcitrant outright by making himself available to millions of them “for free”? Swen Vincke, head of the studio, gave an answer that had the merit of being clear and open.
Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Game Pass or PS Plus?
Subscription services such as PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass are popular. Their constantly renewed catalog allows millions of people to discover a variety of games every month and expand their horizons by trying out new genres. For Ubisoft, this is the future of video games and sooner or later consumers will have to come to terms with the idea of no longer owning their games. A bit like the transition that the world of cinema is experiencing with the switch from DVD to Netflix and others. Larian Studios gives another speech and its boss signs and stands by: Don’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3 to appear on PS Plus or Xbox Game P ass. Him and none of their other games.
This is not the first time that Swen Vincke has spoken out on this issue, but this time his speech is even clearer. Larian Studios has no intention of participating in the growth of this new distribution method, which could ultimately do more good than harm to the entire industry if it truly explodes. “ No matter what the future of gaming looks like, content will always be king. However, it will be very difficult to have good content if subscription becomes the dominant model and a small group decides what goes on the market and what doesn’t. The path that needs to be taken is the one that directly connects developers and players
The danger of subscription services for developers
In a world where cloud gaming would be king, a game like Baldur’s Gate 3 would have had to get approval from a board of directors, which he said would be impossible for a project so steeped in idealism. “ Subscription models will always end up being a cost-benefit analysis aimed at maximizing profits. “We shouldn’t end up with a monopoly on subscription services,” He adds, explaining that developers already rely on a limited number of digital distribution platforms. “Discoverability is brutal. If everyone switches to a subscription, the situation will get worse.” In other words, in such a world, subscription services dictate what games are produced, and games like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Divinity Original Sin 2 may never have seen the light of day. They would undoubtedly have been considered too niche, too risky, or perhaps not profitable enough.
You won’t find our games on a subscription service, although I respect that this is an opportunity for many developers to develop their game. I don’t have a problem with that, but I just want to make sure the other ecosystem doesn’t die. It’s precious.
Mass was said. For its part, Baldur’s Gate 3 will benefit from a nice physical version this year. It contains the OST on 3 CDs, a fabric card, 32 stickers, a magnificent poster or two fabric patches, all in a very nice box and for $79.99 plus shipping costs.
