Summary
- Lack of Baldur's Gate 3 DLC stems from developer passion over profits, prioritizing happy developers for happy players.
- Larian Studios takes a stand by focusing on developer well-being, moving on from Baldur's Gate 3 to ambitious new projects.
- While fans may be disappointed, Larian's decision shows a commitment to quality over quantity in game development.
Baldur's Gate 3 director Swen Vincke has offered an explanation for why the game didn't get any DLC. While Baldur's Gate 3 has had continuing support in the form of updates that have added things like new sub-classes, fans' hopes of DLC were dashed when Vincke previously revealed that development studio was moving on to new things.
DLC is a common method of releasing more content for established games, which can be beneficial for both fans and the studio producing them. When done well, DLC can add fresh content that can revive a playerbase and invite new players to check out a title. However, DLC can also be seen as a cash grab when not executed well, making it a fine line for developers to walk.
Larian Studios CEO Defends Baldur's Gate 3 Stardew Valley Mod
The CEO of Larian Studios shares his thoughts on the controversy surrounding the popular Baldur's Gate 3 mod for Stardew Valley.
Now, in a conversation with GameSpot, Baldur's Gate 3 director Swen Vincke has talked about the game, the studio's future, and why Baldur's Gate 3 never got any DLC. Vincke explained that Larian "tried to be in the DLC business" but that the team wasn't passionate about it. He noted that happy players mean a happy business, but that "you need a happy developer for a happy player" and that what the team is working on is making its developers far more happy than pouring time into Baldur's Gate 3 DLC. Initially, the team "heard it's what we're supposed to do," with Vincke acknowledging that it could have generated a lot of money. However, the team thought about it, and ultimately decided that moving on was better for them.
Larian Studios Stands By Its Developers
While the lack of DLC for Baldur's Gate 3 has disappointed some fans, the general position that Larian has taken on the matter isn't a huge surprise. While Larian Studios reportedly underwent "a bit of crunch" to get the game done, in general, the conditions seem to be better for its developers than in many other studios. Vincke has previously stood up for members of the industry as well, lambasting game industry layoffs as being due to greed. The director of publishing at Larian, Michael Douse, previously also extended an invitation to developers who had been laid off from other development studios to apply for Larian.
Now that Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3 has been released, Larian Studios is finally moving on from the game to new projects. The team hasn't said much about what it's working on, but Vincke noted that the project was "crazy ambitious" and going well. Given the development time for Baldur's Gate 3, it could be a long while before players get an opportunity to see what the team is working on. With any luck, Larian Studios' happy developers produce a product they can be proud of that resonates well with their fans.
Baldur's Gate 3
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
