Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3developer Larian Studios has shared that the game’s streak of consecutive industry wins started to affect development, pushing the studio to opt for a certain strategy when attending award ceremonies. Over the past year,Baldur’s Gate 3has amassed an impressive tally of accolades, with its latest win coming just last week at the 2024 Develop Star Awards.
Larian Studios releasedBaldur’s Gate 3in August 2023 and was instantly met with waves of positive reviews, mirroring the game’s highly successful early access period in 2020. TheDungeons & Dragons-inspired RPG received a perfect score from multiple critics,selling millions ofBaldur’s Gate 3copiesin the process. In the following months, the game was showered with countless accolades, including multiple Game of the Year awards. While this attention helped the studio’s popularity, it also introduced some tough challenges.
In an interview with Edge (viaGamesRadar), Larian Studios CEO andBaldur’s Gate 3director Swen Vincke expressed his appreciation for the studio being bestowed with various awards, but explained that the sheer number of award ceremonies to be attended “affects development.” Upon sensing that the scintillating success of thefantasy RPGwould mean getting awards at several different events, he said that the studio devised a strategy of “rotating teams” according to which “different people went to different award shows.”
The Toll Of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Award Winning Spree
Discussing how Larian devs often had to quickly prepare to receive another award at a different ceremony as soon as they had finished at another, Vincke said that themagnitude ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s successcame close to being “too much.” The game director further revealed that he would prefer a one-and-done event instead, explaining that it “would be cool if everybody could agree to do it all at the same time” as he views the current format as something that is “surprisingly draining on the soul.” Moreover, Vincke stated how the continued popularity ofBaldur’s Gate 3has made Larian devs “more emotional” as they are unable to find closure, which he states is a desirable thing at the end of such a major project.
Game development is a long and complex endeavor, which sometimes sees devs bending over backwards to meet tight deadlines and engaging in ‘crunch’ as release windows approach. It’s understandable how frequent award ceremony appearances could start becoming an impediment to a studio’s day-to-day business. However, theBaldur’s Gate 3team’s balancing act seems to be working, as the studio’s workers continue to travel to award shows while teasing fans about the state offorthcoming Larian Studios games.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
