The developer Mark Darrah is the man behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard and previously launched the SF-MMO Anthem for BioWare. In his podcast, he discusses the influence of the Steam hit Baldur’s Gate 3 on future games. The influence of Baldur’s Gate 3 will be smaller than players are now hoping. This is because Baldur’s Gate 3 forgoes a protagonist with their own voice to grant players more freedom – but future games may not be able to do that so easily.
This is what Darrah says: Darrah mentions that the influence of a game on future games and its sales figures are not necessarily in a linear relationship. He believes that, despite Baldur’s Gate 3 being incredibly successful, it will not have as large an influence on future role-playing games as laypeople might imagine.
But that is not because Baldur’s Gate 3 is so expensive that no one can replicate it (like GTA V), but because of its special status:
Baldur’s Gate 3 has changed the landscape concerning who is willing to look at a role-playing game. It has significantly expanded the space of the genre, which is great. But I believe that the impacts on the way games are developed are smaller than people outside the video game industry might expect.
Anyone hoping that Baldur’s Gate 3 marks the beginning of a golden age for role-playing games may be disappointed.
Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded where no other game could
What is the reason for this? Darrah explains: Baldur’s Gate 3 had optimal preconditions that other studios and games cannot recreate.
Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded with things that other studios would never be able to pull off, according to Darrah.
What does he mean? Darrah explains that Baldur’s Gate 3 utilized a protagonist without their own voice and simple cinematics. Other games would not be allowed to do something like that.
As a result, Baldur’s Gate 3 could offer players many more choices and freedoms.
Dungeons & Dragons at the height of its popularity fueled Baldur’s Gate 3
What advantages did Baldur’s Gate 3 have: Darrah explains that Baldur’s Gate 3 is an anomaly because so many strong elements come into play:
- It utilized the brand “Dungeons and Dragons” at the peak of its popularity – since then, popularity has declined again
- The game replicates Dungeons and Dragons as a role-playing game and therefore has much more freedom
Baldur’s Gate 3 will have some influence on future role-playing games, but not as large an influence as its immense success suggests.
This is what it’s about: Darrah basically says: Baldur’s Gate 3 could only give the player this much agency because it replicates Dungeons & Dragons, and the core of the game is that players can do anything they want.
If a game lacks this setting, players have different expectations of a game and then expect a clearer story
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Darrah himself faced harsh criticism for his last game Dragon Age: The Veilguard and was annoyed by the derision that poured over him: Man behind Dragon Age says buyers have no right to cruelty – Twitch streamer says: yes
