Larian Studios dumbfounded by the success of Baldur's Gate 3 on the PlayStation 5

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.