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Larian CEO is "frightened" by Baldur's Gate 3's success but it's "very motivating" for "our next big game"
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this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2023
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Totally get it. Look at CDPR, from the success and love of witcher 3 to the inflated expectations and fumbling of 2077.
Everyone expected them to top their last showing, so they over promised to try and deliver on it, ruining their reputation pretty badly.
A sudden stellar success sets expectations, and poor management can fuck it up trying to out perform the last showing
Honestly, if they put out something with similar quality with a bit less scope next time, I think people will be happy. Just set expectations at the start and deliver on those expectations.
Larian delivered on what they promised with BG3, CDPR didn't with Cyberpunk 2077. It's really not complicated: undersell the product in development, then beat expectations at launch. CDPR promised branching storylines and delivered a linear experience; Larian promised branching storylines and delivered fantastic branching storylines.
BG3 is larians witcher, not its 2077.
CDPR ended up with 2077 by trying to overpromise to top its previous success and name maker.
Larian is showing that they understand they are in a very similar position, and need to be careful and mindful as they plan their next project in the shadow of BG3s success.
I guess that's fair, though I think Larian coming from D:OS and D:OS2 (and earlier Divinity games) have a bit more experience with defining scope for a larger game than CDPR, which basically just had Witcher 1&2.
So I'm not too worried about Larian biting off more than it can chew.
Yeah, I agree. The reason BG3 was a bigger success than DOS2 is because it has the Baldur's Gate / D&D license (and has broader appeal since the system is one that a lot more "casuals" understand thanks to the real-play podcast boom), not because it's a much better game than Divinity. If Larian's next game isn't D&D, it'll probably not sell as well, regardless of quality. In a way though it should relieve some of the pressure on the studio.
But like CDPR, there's a good chance their devotion to quality will win out in the end (as seems to be the case with 2077 post 2.0 and DLC). They deserve the success. It's a magical game (as was the game they made before it), so I can't wait for what they'll make next.
They deserve it sure, but they are also right to be frightened by it. If you arent mindful, a sudden success can define your next failure, so its good theyre mindful of it.
Realistically it can be good and bad. Like DOS2 but it was a perspective that I never vibed with. BG3 is a fresh viewpoint on a genre I've never truly got my mits into so my expectation for a DOS3 feels low, DOS2 with the perspective options of BG3.
That is until I remember that DOS2 is actually criminally good to pierce through my dislike of isometric viewpoint and keep me invested for so long