In an era chock-full of high-profile video game releases, one title seems to have redefined expectations, Baldur’s Gate 3.
Launched on the PlayStation 5 among other platforms, this game has quickly climbed the charts in terms of popularity, and it’s punching far above its weight.
Swen Vincke, the founder and CEO of Larian, the indie studio behind the game, summed its success up aptly on X when he said: “Looks like there’s loads of people lining up to have a party on PS5. We’ve never had something like this before.”
Looks like there's loads of people lining up to have a party on PS5. We've never had something like this before. https://t.co/XQYB4AH7bp
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) September 6, 2023
For those who’ve been living under a digital rock, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a Computer Role-Playing Game that’s not only in contention for Game of the Year but is also disrupting the gaming industry, much like how The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did in 2017. While Zelda’s recent installment, Tears of the Kingdom, seems like an echo of its predecessor, Baldur’s Gate 3 has erupted into a cultural phenomenon that’s redefining what a CRPG can do. It has transformed what many considered a niche genre into a mainstream spectacle, driving fans and newcomers alike into a frenzy of online discussion.
What sets this game apart? Well, think about your best RPG experiences, perhaps with titles such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Remember those moments where you felt a game’s world responding to choices in the game you made? Baldur’s Gate 3 takes those instances and quadruples the satisfaction. It’s turned skeptics into firm believers, entrancing those who aren’t usually into D&D type titles with its depth and immersion. It’s a masterpiece that even casuals can appreciate.
With its PS5 release, Baldur’s Gate 3 is enjoying even bigger success than when it came out on Steam. Some are shifting their play to PS5 mid-act just to grasp the full breadth of the experience, a grandeur that somehow keeps revealing more layers the more you play.
However, let’s not brush over the hiccups. The game has bugs – some game-breaking. From quests failing to register a completed objective to a lack of functioning tutorials, it’s not without its failures. But the consensus seems to be that a compelling world and gameplay are worth the occasional stumble. It’s a testament to the game’s quality that players are willing to overlook these issues. Even the absence of a physical release, due to Larian being an indie developer without a publisher, hasn’t dampened enthusiasm. In fact, it means Larian gets to pocket all the profits, which they absolutely deserve and which also promises more incredible content down the line.
This unprecedented success is doing more than just filling Larian’s coffers; it’s spotlighting their other work. Many hope that this will lead gamers to explore Larian’s previous masterpiece, Divinity: Original Sin 2 – for the record: we’re still miffed it isn’t on PlayStation Plus this month.
With a story and world-building that demonstrates tremendous care and finesse, it’s no wonder everyone agrees Larian deserves all the flowers it’s getting. The attention to detail and fine-tuned mechanics mean that even if you aren’t too familiar with the genre, a little bit of research and perhaps a character respec at camp can have you fully immersed in one of the most robust RPG experiences available today.
This is all happening in a year where we’ve seen formidable titles like Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Final Fantasy 16, Diablo 4, and Starfield. And yet, here is Baldur’s Gate 3, an indie game without a physical release, dominating the scene. Its roaring success on the PS5 and on Steam is not just a triumph for Larian but a watershed moment for CRPGs and indie developers alike.
As fans, critics, and industry insiders all line up to give Baldur’s Gate 3 the flowers it deserves, one can’t help wonder: What’s next? If this is the new industry standard, then the future of gaming looks exceptionally bright.
