You can't separate a game from the process used to build it, so let's look at what Larian is taking into the development and final version of this game: 2/

1) Dev cycle stretching back to ~2017 1) Two massive games--and their Definitive editions--worth of tech and institutional knowledge to draw from 3) Super successful Early Access period lasting 3 years, providing crucial community feedback, bug hunting, and cash flow 3/

4) Over 400 developers in 7 different offices around the world [not including outsourcing partners] 5) The license, brand, and world of one of the largest entertainment IPs in the world (D&D), at the apex of its popularity with the rise of the actual play movement, and a movie 4/

This is a small, incomplete list. Larian is coming into this game SWINGING, with a gigantic weight of expectation to deal with--but they're also doing it with an *immense* amount of wind (direct experience + resources + specialty tooling +++ etc.) at their backs. 5/

As a TL;DR: In an era of megagames, Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the largest attempted, built by a specialized group of people using mature tech specially built to make *this specific game*, reinforced by invaluable mass player feedback AND market validation ahead of its launch 6/

This is not a new baseline for RPGs--this is an anomaly. Trying to do the same thing in the same way, especially without the same advantages, could kill an entire GROUP of studios. 7/

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. 8/

So please, celebrate the achievement represented by Baldur's Gate 3. It looks like a massive amount of effort is about to pay off in a big way, for one of the brightest voices in the medium... 9/

...but if you shout that "EVERY RPG SHOULD BE LIKE THIS GOING FORWARD, YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE--" You've not just missed the point, you've created the expectations and conditions to ensure your favorite creators may never be able to give you the thing you love ever again. 10/10

(Responding to different concerns folks have raised in a new thread, piece by piece! Always happy to reveal more of the context behind how we can make games healthier *and* better.)

@WritNelson The big thing that people need to understand is that there are amazingly fun games that don’t have the size and scope of BG3. Vampire survivors is a really simplistic game that’s cheap and I’ve put close to 300 hours into it over its lifespan.

@WritNelson The harsh reality is you either match the standards, or you get washed away in the competitive market. That is capitalism. That is consumerism. Either do it, or someone else will.

@WritNelson It’s perplexing to see a game developer telling consumers not to raise their expectations. 😅 BG3 is what happens when a game studio executes on a vision they are passionate about, without needing to compromise. That’s it. That has been true from DOS1 to today. They earned it.

@WritNelson Sounds like an excuse to keep the status quo of underwhelming RPGs. Games like BG3 are nothing new in the sense it will push Devs like yourself to make something greater. If not, then you’re not part of the conversation involving the evolution of gaming.

@WritNelson That's exactly what consumers are supposed to do. You don't deserve our money, you earn it.

@WritNelson Like AAA devs can't raise their bar, I can't read the whole thread but whether you like it or not the bar has been raised by Larian and you can't do anything about it, you can either meet that bar or you cannot.

@WritNelson Awful opinion alert

@WritNelson Raising the bar does not mean every company in existence needs to immediately be like Larian, it means more companies should STRIVE to be like Larian. A nice tweet to read would have been something like this: "I hope my company can achieve what Larian has one day." Cheers

@WritNelson the standard was raised, evolve and adapt to it or fall behind. this is the reality of everything in this world by the way. imagine trying to excuse yourself from releasing a game that's actually good only because Larian knows how to deliver good products

@WritNelson Lmfao raising our expectations is exactly what we’re going to do. Dev doesn’t put any effort into producing a game but all of it into post-purchase purchases? Done. Playing BG3 again. You’re what’s wrong with modern gaming.