“With this character's death, the thread of prophecy is severed. Restore a saved game to restore the weave of fate, or persist in the doomed world you have created”
When I was a sad, poor kid more than thirty years ago, I was tagging along with my dad in a pawn shop while he was trying to pawn tools for dinner money. I happened to notice a book with a cool picture on the cover behind the counter. It was a beat up copy of The Crystal Shard by RA Salvatore. It wasn't even for sale, just something the owner was reading.I didn't know why, but I really wanted it. The owner saw me looking at it and said that I could just take it if I promised to read the whole thing and bring it back when I was done. I was a slow reader, but I finished it in three days, and rode my bike thirty minutes each way to return it. He let me borrow Streams of Silver after that. That man saved my life. That window to a fantasy world took me away from the hunger, and the screaming between my parents. It insulated me against the childhood that set both of my brothers on the path to drugs and prison. Sven, Larian... you've given me that window back at a time when I needed it most. I cried when I looked down on Baldur's Gate for the first time. Even if you stop here, I am a fan for life and will hold a place for you just like that pawn shop owner. Thank You and sorry for the rambling.
I love R.A. Salvatore! I started with IceWind Dale Infinity Engine game in early 2000s, and that lead me to want to know more about this world. I then read The Crystal Shard, and didn't stop reading all of Salvatore's books. I then ventured out to all things Forgotten Realms and more. It helped e through a lot in life as well.
Swen Vincke is such a breeze of fresh air in the game industry. You can feel his passion and commitment with the project as well as his humbleness to lead with kindness and respect for this team. To acknowledge that the players' feedback was critical during early access and still is today feels like a novelty in this industry where game studios don't communicate with their audience at all, where they create games in a vacuum of corporate interests completely out of touch with their players. Thank you so much to Larian Studios for bringing this amazing experience that is BG3 to the PS5! I couldn't have played it otherwise. I bought the damn console to update my PS4 just so I could get my hands on this game. Both the console and the Digital Deluxe Edition was still cheaper than buying myself a brand new gamer PC so thank you so very much for that! I'm loving every bit of this game, I'm still in Act 1 and I suspect I'll be in it for a long while more but there is no hurry. I'm just taking my time to explore around and amazed at the sheer level of depth for exploration as well as the myriad of NPCs, all with different stories to take an active part in. I'm already seeing it will take me forever to finish this first playthrough but that's totally fine. I trust that Larian will take care of any possible bugs or glitches that may still appear in the game. I've seldom felt this level of trust in a game studio as I do with Larian and they've earned it. THANK YOU💖
Take your time and enjoy the story ❤️ finished my first play through last night and ended up with over 100 hours in gameplay between me kinda being a save-scummer and I explored about everything the team had to offer in this world. I will be going back for another play-through soon because of how many options and how free the game allows you to play it. It’s a huge breath of fresh air in the gaming world and I’m happy to have given it a try!
@@actuallymajor6102 I'm taking my time but I'm already seeing other possible options to choose for different quests on my next playthrough. I'm loving every bit of it, from the world, to the characters and the story❤️
Having this kind of game on console is such a "W". First i was really skeptical because of the controlls, and although it is a bit more difficult it gets better, as someone who never played a c-rpg. I'm really happy i have the ability to play this game. It's just a great year in video games 😁.
Anyone who played Divinity Original Sin 2 knew this was possible with enough time and resources. They proved the concept and knocked it out of the park with BG3.
Was playing DOS 2 real hard waiting for this to drop on console. Now I can't even take a short rest in real life with out wanting to go back and play some more 😂🤣
It’s amazing to see a game dev CEO talk about their game with such sincerity, knowledge, and passion. This type of leadership combined with an equally excellent team of devs is what makes great games like Baldur’s Gate 3!
Absolutely. Im a game dev myself and its obvious that he is very involved in the process.. The way he talks about how it feels to be done with a project is exactly how I feel about it.
As independent AAA developers, Larian, CDPR, and IOI can take my money all day. I am bored of the obvious cheap antics and pay-to-win money play in others nowadays. If you download a "free" game and hit a paywall - you know this is not a company that really cares about your experience, they want your money.
It's a double edged sword... I haven't been able to do a playthrough where I recruit Minthara just because of the consequences of the actions required to recruit her.
@@shifusensei6442 you've lost nothing, she isn't worth the trouble at the moment. She has around zero content and will be meaningless to have in the act 3.
what other dev you know that interacted and listened to the community as much as he did? what other dev made a fully working game for a normal price without extra content? what other dev supports modding to the point where they even add mods into their own game as part of the game without extra payments?@@EstevanValladares
@@EstevanValladares thank's for proving my point he makes a good games (is what people want), and in compensation he gets a very successful carrer and a lot of money
@@EstevanValladares Are you seriously proposing that everyone are saying what people want to hear and that's simply what Swen does to fill his pockets? Hahahahahaha! You WISH everyone would say NO to MICROTRANSACTIONS, are you out of your mind or what??
The man headed the highest rated PC game of all time and was worried it'd be a 6/10. This kind of humble yet talented passion is why Larian are worthy of all the love they get and more.
@@wsrtwetr i finished the game on tactician, and it's not a 10 (9.5 for me) but it did raise the bar higher and put all other games in my list below 9.5.
Around 25:30 when they're talking about the healing potion streamer, that's Luality. For those who haven't seen her, she is amazing. She even beats Dark Souls games on dance pads. She is absolutely no joke.
As a Githyanki player (for my first file), I really appreciate all the effort going into the content that a smaller percentage of the players will see.
@@costanzafaust Yeah, technically you could make a githzerai, just go gith and be a monk or something, oppose Vlaakith at every opportunity and try immediately to free Orpheus. It's just an ideological difference.
yes and you guys should follow their steps. if you're stupid management cannot help you bring out the game you want because of monetization, resign and make your own studio or join the great studios.
My God I have cast Speak with the Dead on EVERY CORPSE I FIND (or make lol) I love it so much and I love the work they put into necromancy. Most studios hate necromancy and make it super weak to discourage players from using it but this game... My God. So good.
I am 42 years old and been a hardcore gamer as far back as I can remember. This game is beyond anything else I have ever seen and after watching this interview it becomes clear why. With just this one game Larian has become on of my very favorite studios. I can't wait to see what they do next!
team 42! from NES legend of zelda to Morrowind...never woud i imagine we would have this type of originality/exploration for each play through. they nailed it with BG3 and i can't wait to finish and replay immediatly.
Same age except that I've been losing touch with video games, especially with most of the modern ones, then Baldur's Gate 3 came along and I was fixated like a wide-eyed kid again.
Same here. I've been playing games for almost 40 years, and I can't remember the last time a game impressed me this much. It's like the set out to create their dream CRPG.
With bg3 and zelda totk this year changed what we will expect of games and what I loved is boath changed how we interact with the world and the next step will be a game that combines both. And then we will find new things but those jewels changed everythingand I love them both so much
I'm 47 and I have slipped into a pattern of playing a few minutes of a short-gameplay-loop game at a time, never sticking to any one game for very long. (That backlog isn't going to clear itself.) But I haven't been this excited to immerse myself in a game with such critical acclaim since Super Mario Bros. 3. SMWorld came with my SNES, Halo was great, Call of Duty was good, and Doom (2016) was amazing. I haven't owned a recently released Nintendo console since SNES, but DK Country, Starfox64, Metroid Prime, SM Galaxy, Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild and SM Maker would likely also be on a list of critical darlings I have pined for over the years. Any other big name game I can think of, I played before the hype or regardless of it. And usually well after the zeitgeist has passed (at a substantial discount, thus the growing backlog). However, Baldur's Gate 3 is fast becoming the game I abandon my frugal principals for, pay full price, and play nonstop for the next month.
Old-time D&D player here. BG1 changed the way I played tabletop. Not only did I learn how the spells worked, the concept of spatial tactics (volumetric fireballs) and such really changed how you not only play the game, but play with the game. BG3 will for sure have the same effect. For millions. Well done, Larian. Bravo. Finished it after 150 hrs. Game of a generation.
People are already changing their homebrew rulesets to suits bg3 because they made some very simple but such amazing changes the games just works better
@@arol131yeah, I think one of the biggest issues with tabletop games in general is the lack of a visual reference for certain things like spells. They describe them, there might even be a picture somewhere. But having something like BG3 faithfully portray aspects of the game helps clear the air a little on some of the more vague systems.
Spatial awareness is the 1st descriptor I use to set the scene. It's the old way of detailing the environment the pc's enter that goes back to the original D&D. Our group rarely uses maps and miniatures. If you set the scene, establish the distances in the player's minds, you can provide all tactical choices without ever using props. It repeatedly formulates a more memorable experience if done right. Props are an aid, but every prop takes a tiny bit away from imagination. If a video game is need to create this, then all the better. I find my sports background created my sense of spatial awareness that I often take for granted, and is not shared by many people by default.
if your starting as a DM with 5e that would be why. 5e .... well it is designed so that magic items are optional while past editions your player wealth and exp curve were related, players at X level were expected to have X level wealth of magic items and resources, and then went on to have rules for custom magic items that could be anything. BG3 emulates this, even letting you have more that 3 magic items like older editions (in 3.5e for example you had a Head, Helmet, Shoulder, Wrist, Feet, Chest, Body, Waist, Neck, Eye, Hand and 2 ring slots, and there were slotless items like Ioun Stones you could have any number of)@@amarante2993
@@amarante2993 oh on that u are absolutely right. I am a GM with 3 years experience and I still had problem giving nice items to my players. And here we are with a not too powerful but great magical items
Solasta does this even more - there you can see the dice rolls for every combat. Its actutally done in a nice way. I would love it if larian would do something like this as a option. Call it the Dice goblin option or something :D
I started a playthrough as a Druid and I spent so much time just talking to animals, it’s so in depth I didn’t wanna stop- I love finding a small detail on my own and feeling proud because basically no one else found it or I think no one else found it, it’s so great
@@rhysioeren3203There was a rat in the druid grove that tells you of a secret evil object hidden in a house. It got me curious and I went on lengths to infiltrate the house with the evil object, thinking it will be something important. It wasn't. The rat pranked me. 😅
Yeah I love when I was talking to a friend and was like and then there was this "weird ox" and he's like oh yeah I talked to them. Haha. I love how "normal" taking to a weird ox is
I'm so used to playing such linear games that I'm always surprised by the amount of different ways to approach problems in BG3. It's truly an amazing game.
It’s the same quality of RPG as older games, just a fresh coat of paint. Most RPGs now have devs who’ve forgotten that at it’s core, an RPG is just dungeons & dragons, and a good d&d campaign has a good dungeon master and a good dungeon master doesn’t focus on forcing players down a path, but rather simply providing them a destination and letting the players go about reaching that point through any means they see fit. That’s what baldurs gate does and it’s such a relief to see a fully fleshed out classic rpg experience release to widespread acclaim.
@@thebigenchilada678 yeah i agree thats true but from my experience since divinity 2 the game gives so much options while not holding your hand at all that sometimes i am stuck, lost and confused on how i could proceed
15:20 they called back their voice actor to add a new ending for one of their characters just two weeks after release, after listening to player feedback. Amazing, when it comes to the video game industry I feel like I just left an abusive relationship with other gaming companies and found myself someone that actually cares for me 😂
oh yeah, they are totally underrated as a game dev and studio, i have been playing DOS for the last 5 years and they have been my fav game makers, so it really makes me happy for them to finally get the recognition they deserve.
This is the very first video game that made me legit cry. I've never felt so invested in relationships in a video game. BG3 is a total masterpiece and might be my favorite game of all time.
@@kyletotten1685 those games are definitely emotional but I'm for sure more attached to the characters in BG3. I didn't like most of the characters in The Last of Us 1 or 2.
@lynnz7501 bg3 characters were designed to charm you. Last of us they are more realistic. Bg3 characters feel real but don't behave how most people do. My comment is more related to the overall emotionally of the game though.
Play Life is Strange 2! I honestly don't think I've cried that much in my life when the ending happened.. it's also one of those games with multiple endings and decisions mattering
It is not only the most popular video game for D&D of all time, but it's probably the most popular D&D product of all time, across every domain. And definitely among the best video games of all time, if not the best.
Let's hope we'll get more of this kind of games in the future. Also I wish that modders would do a VTT and campaign creator for this game since Larian may be a pressed not to by WotC. This game can really be a great tool for this. Not to forget to add world map mode of some kind for the VTT so the campaigns wouldn't need to be in Larian kind of style with travelling but more of Owlcat kind of style.
I would love for some sort of online immersive dnd experience - where a DM can create a map and place npcs and write their dialogue and whatnot. Fug that would be so cool.
Always respect Swen for his passion and spirit. One of the very few examples of someone being determined and not selling out. I'm happy Larian is getting the attention they deserve.
It's amazing to think Larian has a permutation tree somewhere that shows all the choices players have made over the course of the game. It's like the Stanley Parable x1,000
It’s funny because shortly after the official launch, Larian made a comment where they ‘complained’ how many players chose to play humans or just ‘simple’ characters, when they have so many options.
Swen Vincke and Hidetaka Miyazaki. Two top game creators currently. Passionate, dedicated, hard working, picking challenge over easy money. Amazing guys.
BTW I've been a fan since Divine Divinity I picked 20 years ago as I was in a desperate need of something similar to Diablo. And it blew my mind. I need to play it again.
@@kamchatmonkno, at one time yes, but you’re talking about someone who put product placement for Monster and ads for TWD in his latest game. That’s cheap
@@ezraspence He's been putting some product placement for his favorite glasses in MGS5 as well. I dunno, I don't see much of an issue with it. It kind of seems in line with him inviting Refn and Del Toro to play parts in DS - Kojima just places things and people he likes into his games.
I can't stress enough how great the split screen is. Friend of mine is a console only guy. He doesn't do technology and doesn't like upgrading a computer. He also wasn't a huge fan of DnD or this style of rpg in general. Our first co-op session went about 9 hours. Then again the next week. Then the next week. I asked him if he wanted to swing by and watch a movie that came out with another friend of ours. His answer was "Sure, then let's get him to play Baldurs Gate". He'd have never bought the game himself. He'd never have tried it. Now he has his own copy and still comes by weekly to move our campaign forward.
I really enjoy how different the playthroughs can be, a mage can solve a problem with smarts or spells but then a barbarian can just use brute force and it all just works.
@@costanzafaustthat is one way but also you can do the 'good guy' campaign, the 'murder hobo', the 'ego-central' and so on. I think I have around 7 totally different campaigns that I have started with different outcomes. Most of those are somewhere at end of act II or start act III (I got a re-roll issue :p) ... currently I am committed to at least finish one of these playthroughs though. On that one so far I resolved Shadowheart's, Astarion's and the Raphael story-line but even here there are so many different routes I could have taken. (the current campaign I am trying to be mostly a good guy, although Wyll MIGHT disagree somewhat, and maybe Halsin would have preferred I dealt with some boss in another way :P)
The depth of roleplay in BG3 is staggering, this is the closest to table top in video game form I've ever seen. Also as a big fan of Divinity, I'm really hopeful for Divinity 3. DOS3 when!?! I kid, Larian absolutely deserves to savor this hard fought victory of a game!
The fact that the ingame cutscenes look so good as they do in this game is a testament to the quality of this game on its visual aspect, taken so many screenshots, over 230 hours played now.
@@AndyRosaDesignThat’s the problem, and that’s why the outrage is getting louder. Glad Larian sees that and decided it’s not worth whatever was perceived worth it to devalue players.
most AAA studios don't have their own Sven at the helm. They have corporate suits. and "investors" Most of those people never even touched a videogame in their life Games are just stock and good sales for them. And This is why modern games suck. If the decision making regarding our beloved hobby is left in the hands of men who do.not.give. a.single. F. it will never change.
Played BG1 and 2 on release, they were the best RPGs I had ever experienced. And BG3 made me feel the same. Outstanding achievement and probably the most immersive rpg I've ever played in 30+ years of gaming.
"We can totally make an expansion for 12-20 level"..so you're telling me there's a chance. :P It's still unreal to me that Baldur's Gate 3 is actually real, released and one of the best modern CRPG's ever. I can't sing Larian's praises enough. I really hope we will get more expansions to this game, because this can't be just a "one and done" thing.
@@christopherlucas9118 16. That allows locking out the (arguably broken) Wish spell and other 9th level magic. If Larian could figure out Wish and all it allows, then allowing players to go to 20 for the class capstone abilities would be fun.
@@sintanan469 They can do it the same way they did "Divine Intervention" (Hope from House of Hope has it): some set of options: like, getting a legendary weapon, resurrect all with restoring slots, lots of damage in an aoe, etc
I've been playing D&D since 1977. This is the game I've been waiting for my whole life. It's by far the best game of the Year and Decade. I'm having so much fun playing it that I'm losing sleep. I highly recommend getting it.
first run 100 hours, second run Tactician mode and 40 hours in, with different choices looks like a brand new game.. Masterpiece!! Thanks Swen and all the Larian Team
@@TheDrunkMunk in Act 3 I was scared to go on because I didn't want it to end 😅 but I would have easily hit 120+ if I didn't purposely left some quest open, with a second run you can really appreciate the weight of your choices.. take your time 👍🏻
I bought this game in the first week of early access. In that time, I have not only become a fan of Baldur’s Gate 3, but I have become a massive ride or die fan of Larian Studios. I’m a 25 year old who started playing games back when I was around 6-8, and this is without question my favourite game of all time.
I am at the end of the game, 100+ hours in. I already know that my second playthrough will be very different and not because of small changes. Baldur's Gate 3 is easily the game of the year and easily one of the best rpgs of all time. Huge congrats Larian devs, you guys rule. Now take some rest because you deserve it.
I'm currently on my second playthrough. I created a custom character for my 1st and went for "good/neutral" choices. I'm now playing as a Dark Urge fully embracing chaotic/evil options and taking paths that I never explored on my first run. I just got to Act II again and it feels like a completely different game. I've also been experimenting with a Bard character and the unique dialogue options for her had me roling with laughter several times 😄
@@FBWL-u1r good to know mate, thank you for sharing! I just actually finished the game. I went to check what character to make and I am between a bard and a monk, Awesome that the bard has unique options, I might actually start with one to see what's up! Thank you again for sharing!
I'm glad this is sparking a renaissance in these types of games again. It feels like how games used to be back in the 90's and early 2000's. Larian, you guys are great!
When I think about how perfect this game is and the company ethics....... I feel warm inside and it makes me wanna support such a franchise. Well done guys we love love you 🖤
Detail detail detail this game has so much detail everywhere you look, every little area, path, house, everything has so much detail its insane. it just doesn't stop either. literally stabbed greed in the heart with this one.
As a tabletop GM for over 25 years and now an indie developer, thank you to Larian for making a game that captures a lot of the TRPG experience. I am getting a chance now to play in a campaign and recharge my creative batteries more.
As someone who loves couch co-op I'm so glad to see the lead of a video game studio say this. I remember playing Metal Gear Solid 4 with my boyfriend at the time (I played and he watched) and thinking, man, this game is MADE for playing with your partner. There were 45min cut scenes where you could just sit back and snuggle... And split scene moments where I was fighting in one scene as snake and Raiden fighting in the other in a long cinematic.. essentially giving him something exciting to watch while I fought. Very cool
I never thought about playing as a bard in an RPG before, but BG3 made me realize it's my favorite class to play and I never even knew it. Now I wonder how much I would have enjoyed other games if I could have just insulted and shred my lute to the end credits. God-tier game.
Swen is such an amazing person to have as a game dev I can’t wait to see the future of bg3, I trust his team completely. (Artificer and more subclasses pleaaaaase)
Played this a lot in Early Access, and taking time to see everything on my first playthrough- going really, REALLY slow. Showing 273 hours played, and still haven't quite reached Moonrise Towers. Best RPG I've ever played on a computer, and I've played most all of them! Game of the Decade, in my eyes.
It's honestly amazing to see a studio head be so passionate about a videogame. I now understand why modern "game companies" cope and seethe so hard when it comes to Larian and its craft.
Protect this man at all costs. As a life long gamer, this man gives me hope for a future of gaming when so much of the industry does the opposite. Great interview!
They put speak with the dead in the game and let you talk to every dead body in the game. His response to it. “We put in the rule you can only ask 5 questions which was a bit limiting. It was not as good as we wanted.” Constantly trying to sharpen his craft and always seeking to improve. Protect this man and his incredible team!
Nooooo, Swen, I don't want you to leave Baldurs Gate 3 for new projects! You stay right there and give me a few DLCs! ( う-´)づ ︻╦̵̵̿╤── \(˚☐˚”)/ Sorry, i am just so addicted to this game and the great story. I am playing with my wife in "couple-mode" and we are having so much fun. Masterpiece. Thank you all so much!!! PS: Somehow I feel like I cheated you all at Larian for just paying 60 Euro.
Just another huge fan of what you've achieved here saying thank you! You really do understand your audience and respect their opinions and wishes and that is certainly felt by all of us, I'm sure. Please keep making games with such loving care and creativity. Please keep being a bright beacon in the darkness and greed that can be the games industry.
We all hope, but we know that next 4-5 years Larian will do some other game… After that it would take another 4-5 years to amke expansion… SO in earliest it will be 2031-2033 untill we can see expansion.
this guy is actually amazing. his description of the couple's mode is exactly what I'm doing with my girlfriend right now and it is a really exciting experience to share.
Love to see and hear how enthusiastic Swen is about BG3 and how proud he is about what he and Larian created! Thank you for this very special experience
60 hrs in and still on act 1 since the release on ps5; Like everyone , if I explained my experiences, it would take a thesis paper to describe the depth from just phase 1; but in short, this is one of the greatest games I have ever touched I my life; Thank you Larian. {P.S. if anyone here likes bg3, try pathfinder wrath of the righteous! trust me; you will love this just as much.)
@@ganshrio7336 damn; welp I guess, everything is subjective. But “to anybody who actually likes bg3”(as i mentioned in the original post), then my statement will most likely prove true. If you dont like crpgs or bg3 disreguard my suggestion. I feel that way towards fps’s and rogue likes. Different strokes
just hearing about the process to 'fix' karlach's ending, and the SPEED of its execution, absolutely blows my mind. swen, you will forever have my trust, and my money! much love to you and the team
The replayability of this game is amazing. I rarely ever get the urge to play a game again right after finishing it, but with this one I really do want to do a dark urge playthrough next where I make very different choices. Larian did an incredible job.
I have to say that Sven and his whole team are absolutely awesome people. It is so refreshing hearing game dev talking this about the fans. Also kudos to Sven, he has very healthy approach to leadership. Really inspiring on so many levels. I can’t wait to start my bard play through 😊
Also, Bards are awesome in the game! I played some music in the emerald grove to get everyone to watch me, while Shadowheart snuck over and stole the idol!
I have been playing this game since it launched on Ps5 and I am amazed with this game so far. Totally just an amazing experience. The music is really good. The voice acting and sheer amount of choice is impressive to say the least. This is the best game I have played in a long time. I love seeing the passion this team has put into their game. Amazing.
A very interesting point by Swen that he doesn't look at what choices are popular because it might impact them making creative choices for the minority. A contrast with WotC who are designing their next edition guided by popular feedback. Obviously BG3 and 5e rulesets are different products so I'm not saying one approach is wrong, it's just interesting to see different philosophies.
Th problem with only looking at player choices through algorithms is that some players play for the roleplaying aspect. Others play solely for the "gameplay combat power optimization" aspect and those players won't give a damn about "storyline ethics", they will do horrible things to companion characters or completely re-write their stats just to get that Ascended Astarion level 12 Fighter with astral tadpole powers and 19 attacks per turn to kill Raphael in one round. Yet other players want a "evil campaign" or are still stuck in their preconceived notions about the companion characters based on the Early Access Act 1 and simply kill a specific companion they have decided to hate in every playthru they do.
Simply one of the best pieces of gaming software of it's kind. The variety of paths available, objects and environments that are totally inter-actable, amazing NPC interaction.. all lead to amazing creative possibilities for us gamers. Thank you for raising the bar so high Larian!
its incredible to witness what very well could be the greatest leader in modern gaming Swen Vincke. When he was talking about giving his team creative ownership, giving them space to fail and learn. and how he is against the top down style of management we see so many studios employ. This man is at the pinnacle of his craft. years of experience with immense passion and natural talent all coalesce to create the greatest CEO of modern gaming Swen Vincke!
“I want to make sure we will keep on investing heavily in things that maybe 0.001% of the audience will see” I definitely see and appreciate this so much. This game is something incredible.
Not a DnD player and not a huge turn-based games fan (first and last turn-based one I played was Heroes III), and I love bg3. Larian truly created something magical. Looking forward for patches... and an expansion or two would be amazing. The branching choices and scope of the game is monumental but it looks like we are hitting a limit on what's possible. Unless the team has 1000 people and they take 10+ years making the game.... The further you go and the more features/ characters you add, the more permutations... I wonder if this century we will get a fully simulated (down to small particles) environment and AI (almost sentient) powered NPC's. With this each playtrough would be truly unique and there would be no problem with implementing features because the simulation would handle everything by itself
I think the AI concept is amazing. And I do believe we may see implementation of something along those lines within the next 10 years. Which is extremely exciting.
Just started my second play through. As someone who would have never thought I would enjoy this type of game, I’m enthralled by it. The story is just addictive and whimsical and epic 👏
The game is a masterpiece. I was constantly impressed just how well intertwined everything was. On some occasions I would make minor changes to gameplay that I thought would not have a ripple effect and 99% of the time it did. I think there was only 1 or 2 times in act 3 where links seemed broken but they were minor and never got in the way of the overall game. One that I remember was after dealing with the watch robots (wont add anymore details for spoiler reasons) some of the npcs didnt register what had happened and they were still talking about them as if it didnt happen.
Or major AAA company who harasses their female employees, throws frat parties when they should be working, and tells their fans the bugs will be fixed soon*.
Thank you Larian for developing a masterpiece and WotC for trusting Larian to do so! I haven't been hooked on a game like this since Witcher 3, The amount of detail and freedom in BG3 is just outstanding. Can't wait to play more and especially running the story with a party through multiplayer!
80 hours in. Just hit act 3. Going slow and enjoy my path of vengeance paladin. What a game, thank you for following such an acclaimed series with the best entry yet!
Sven is great. I got hooked after DOS1, even though I miss cooldowns instead of spell slots and the amount of elemental interactions compared to those games, just how strongly BG3 captures real dnd moments has made it the best game I have ever played. Like Todd said, I do now have to homebrew shove rules because people do love it so much. (shove more than 5ft, since only 5ft isn't as fun)
The eternal forging of alliances, friendships, love, and relationships down, down, down by the great River Chionthar. I don’t want the game to end. Don’t wake me up. Just leave me there dreaming…
I don’t have next gen so I’ve been watching my friends that don’t know dnd play baldurs gate and they’ve been having lots of fun and it’s been a joy to see they like it. Props to creators
![ไข้ขึ้นเลย! เมื่อแฝดโดนจัดเต็มวัคซีนครบ2เดือน🤒 [cc] แดนแพทตี้ SS2 | EP.54 |](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/z2VHItnyyvY/mqdefault.jpg)
I can only imagine the number of times "but what happens if the player kills them" had to be said during development.
“With this character's death, the thread of prophecy is severed. Restore a saved game to restore the weave of fate, or persist in the doomed world you have created”
'Our studio's workload has been reduced due to the unethical practice of killing children, and that's why I'm ordering pizza to all our employees.'
@@WalwodGrimbloodman you just took me back!
@@WalwodGrimblood memory unlocked
Probably why the dark urge origin exists
Keep this man safe. We need him to keep the suits in the industry accountable! Give BG3 goty already, there is no competition.
if they dont win that we know how deeply rotten this industry is! Game of the Decade!
Armored Core 6 is a close second or third. It just isn't blowing up like BG3 😔
amen its 100% game of the year
We thank God for Larian studios
Zelda
When I was a sad, poor kid more than thirty years ago, I was tagging along with my dad in a pawn shop while he was trying to pawn tools for dinner money. I happened to notice a book with a cool picture on the cover behind the counter. It was a beat up copy of The Crystal Shard by RA Salvatore. It wasn't even for sale, just something the owner was reading.I didn't know why, but I really wanted it. The owner saw me looking at it and said that I could just take it if I promised to read the whole thing and bring it back when I was done. I was a slow reader, but I finished it in three days, and rode my bike thirty minutes each way to return it. He let me borrow Streams of Silver after that. That man saved my life. That window to a fantasy world took me away from the hunger, and the screaming between my parents. It insulated me against the childhood that set both of my brothers on the path to drugs and prison.
Sven, Larian... you've given me that window back at a time when I needed it most. I cried when I looked down on Baldur's Gate for the first time. Even if you stop here, I am a fan for life and will hold a place for you just like that pawn shop owner. Thank You and sorry for the rambling.
🥹🥲 Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. So happy for you.
Great story man! Not rambling at all. This game means a lot to me too. 👍
Absolutely loved that series!
BG2 / planescape torment was this for me.
I love R.A. Salvatore! I started with IceWind Dale Infinity Engine game in early 2000s, and that lead me to want to know more about this world. I then read The Crystal Shard, and didn't stop reading all of Salvatore's books. I then ventured out to all things Forgotten Realms and more. It helped e through a lot in life as well.
Swen Vincke is such a breeze of fresh air in the game industry. You can feel his passion and commitment with the project as well as his humbleness to lead with kindness and respect for this team. To acknowledge that the players' feedback was critical during early access and still is today feels like a novelty in this industry where game studios don't communicate with their audience at all, where they create games in a vacuum of corporate interests completely out of touch with their players.
Thank you so much to Larian Studios for bringing this amazing experience that is BG3 to the PS5! I couldn't have played it otherwise. I bought the damn console to update my PS4 just so I could get my hands on this game. Both the console and the Digital Deluxe Edition was still cheaper than buying myself a brand new gamer PC so thank you so very much for that!
I'm loving every bit of this game, I'm still in Act 1 and I suspect I'll be in it for a long while more but there is no hurry. I'm just taking my time to explore around and amazed at the sheer level of depth for exploration as well as the myriad of NPCs, all with different stories to take an active part in. I'm already seeing it will take me forever to finish this first playthrough but that's totally fine. I trust that Larian will take care of any possible bugs or glitches that may still appear in the game. I've seldom felt this level of trust in a game studio as I do with Larian and they've earned it. THANK YOU💖
Take your time and enjoy the story ❤️ finished my first play through last night and ended up with over 100 hours in gameplay between me kinda being a save-scummer and I explored about everything the team had to offer in this world. I will be going back for another play-through soon because of how many options and how free the game allows you to play it. It’s a huge breath of fresh air in the gaming world and I’m happy to have given it a try!
@@actuallymajor6102 I'm taking my time but I'm already seeing other possible options to choose for different quests on my next playthrough. I'm loving every bit of it, from the world, to the characters and the story❤️
Having this kind of game on console is such a "W". First i was really skeptical because of the controlls, and although it is a bit more difficult it gets better, as someone who never played a c-rpg.
I'm really happy i have the ability to play this game. It's just a great year in video games 😁.
Couldn't have said this any better. I could listen to Swen talk about Larian's process for hours.
This is exactly how I feel about BG3 and Larian. Well said.
Anyone who played Divinity Original Sin 2 knew this was possible with enough time and resources. They proved the concept and knocked it out of the park with BG3.
Was playing DOS 2 real hard waiting for this to drop on console. Now I can't even take a short rest in real life with out wanting to go back and play some more 😂🤣
OK DOS 2 was bad though.
@@yuyutubee8435 lol no it wasn't it was brilliant. I know some things can be subjective but bad is a label that can never be placed on DOS2
@@yuyutubee8435 Just like how Baldur's Gate 3 is terrible.
@@Neasel. Man, I remember when I was a contrarian. Rough times.
It’s amazing to see a game dev CEO talk about their game with such sincerity, knowledge, and passion. This type of leadership combined with an equally excellent team of devs is what makes great games like Baldur’s Gate 3!
Absolutely. Im a game dev myself and its obvious that he is very involved in the process.. The way he talks about how it feels to be done with a project is exactly how I feel about it.
@@MaMastoastwhat games are you working on or have worked on?
As independent AAA developers, Larian, CDPR, and IOI can take my money all day. I am bored of the obvious cheap antics and pay-to-win money play in others nowadays. If you download a "free" game and hit a paywall - you know this is not a company that really cares about your experience, they want your money.
"Player Empathy is important to us"
No wonder this game is magical.
What’s up Chef! Love your channel
It's a double edged sword... I haven't been able to do a playthrough where I recruit Minthara just because of the consequences of the actions required to recruit her.
@@shifusensei6442Nothing ventured nothing gained
@@shifusensei6442 you've lost nothing, she isn't worth the trouble at the moment. She has around zero content and will be meaningless to have in the act 3.
What about Karlach and Minthara if player empathy was that important?
we need more people like swen vincke he is a warrior inside the video game industry even against all odds he created a masterpiece.
We have. He is just like everyone else. He says what people want to hear, and does what fill his pockets.
what other dev you know that interacted and listened to the community as much as he did? what other dev made a fully working game for a normal price without extra content? what other dev supports modding to the point where they even add mods into their own game as part of the game without extra payments?@@EstevanValladares
@@EstevanValladares thank's for proving my point he makes a good games (is what people want), and in compensation he gets a very successful carrer and a lot of money
I thought he was more of a Paladin
@@EstevanValladares Are you seriously proposing that everyone are saying what people want to hear and that's simply what Swen does to fill his pockets? Hahahahahaha! You WISH everyone would say NO to MICROTRANSACTIONS, are you out of your mind or what??
The man headed the highest rated PC game of all time and was worried it'd be a 6/10.
This kind of humble yet talented passion is why Larian are worthy of all the love they get and more.
That's the mindset of someone who constantly wants to surpass his own expectations (this applies to Swen and to the whole team ofc)
It's a 5/10 for me. These people staying in act one giving 10/10 lol
@@wsrtwetr this dude overleveled in act 1 and 2 then got bored lmao
@@wsrtwetr i finished the game on tactician, and it's not a 10 (9.5 for me) but it did raise the bar higher and put all other games in my list below 9.5.
@@wsrtwetr Finished it on Tactician. 9.5/10.
Around 25:30 when they're talking about the healing potion streamer, that's Luality.
For those who haven't seen her, she is amazing. She even beats Dark Souls games on dance pads. She is absolutely no joke.
currently did solo honor mode without cheese tactics which is insane
She beat what on WHAT???
As a Githyanki player (for my first file), I really appreciate all the effort going into the content that a smaller percentage of the players will see.
I just wish they had a Githzerai option, even if it means butting heads with Lae'zel
githyanki suck
Im paladin and the oath stuffs cool what do you get mate
@@costanzafaust Even better honestly. Butt heads thru the day, then nail her when you get back to camp 😅
@@costanzafaust Yeah, technically you could make a githzerai, just go gith and be a monk or something, oppose Vlaakith at every opportunity and try immediately to free Orpheus. It's just an ideological difference.
As a software developer this game is not just a game, it's a engineering achievement
yes and you guys should follow their steps. if you're stupid management cannot help you bring out the game you want because of monetization, resign and make your own studio or join the great studios.
@lariscea it's really easy to say "quit your job and start your own company" when it's not your livelihood on the line.
@@lariscea it's glaringly obvious that you have never worked in this industry... or at all in your life.
@@lariscea Cringe comment.
You say this as a software developer? :DDD
I'm SO glad for all the work you guys put into Speak with Animals and Speak with Dead spells, it's perfect!
My God I have cast Speak with the Dead on EVERY CORPSE I FIND (or make lol) I love it so much and I love the work they put into necromancy. Most studios hate necromancy and make it super weak to discourage players from using it but this game... My God. So good.
Me too! @@Lord_necromancer But most importantly, I wanna be friends with every single animal I see in the game lol
@@Lord_necromancerin this game you can quite literally make an army that will fight your battles) just pull out your lute and start playing power)
Yes!
Reminder to cast disguise first, a lot of corpses won’t speak to their killer.
I am 42 years old and been a hardcore gamer as far back as I can remember. This game is beyond anything else I have ever seen and after watching this interview it becomes clear why. With just this one game Larian has become on of my very favorite studios. I can't wait to see what they do next!
team 42! from NES legend of zelda to Morrowind...never woud i imagine we would have this type of originality/exploration for each play through. they nailed it with BG3 and i can't wait to finish and replay immediatly.
Same age except that I've been losing touch with video games, especially with most of the modern ones, then Baldur's Gate 3 came along and I was fixated like a wide-eyed kid again.
Same here. I've been playing games for almost 40 years, and I can't remember the last time a game impressed me this much. It's like the set out to create their dream CRPG.
With bg3 and zelda totk this year changed what we will expect of games and what I loved is boath changed how we interact with the world and the next step will be a game that combines both. And then we will find new things but those jewels changed everythingand I love them both so much
I'm 47 and I have slipped into a pattern of playing a few minutes of a short-gameplay-loop game at a time, never sticking to any one game for very long. (That backlog isn't going to clear itself.)
But I haven't been this excited to immerse myself in a game with such critical acclaim since Super Mario Bros. 3. SMWorld came with my SNES, Halo was great, Call of Duty was good, and Doom (2016) was amazing. I haven't owned a recently released Nintendo console since SNES, but DK Country, Starfox64, Metroid Prime, SM Galaxy, Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild and SM Maker would likely also be on a list of critical darlings I have pined for over the years. Any other big name game I can think of, I played before the hype or regardless of it. And usually well after the zeitgeist has passed (at a substantial discount, thus the growing backlog).
However, Baldur's Gate 3 is fast becoming the game I abandon my frugal principals for, pay full price, and play nonstop for the next month.
Old-time D&D player here. BG1 changed the way I played tabletop. Not only did I learn how the spells worked, the concept of spatial tactics (volumetric fireballs) and such really changed how you not only play the game, but play with the game.
BG3 will for sure have the same effect. For millions.
Well done, Larian. Bravo. Finished it after 150 hrs. Game of a generation.
People are already changing their homebrew rulesets to suits bg3 because they made some very simple but such amazing changes the games just works better
@@arol131yeah, I think one of the biggest issues with tabletop games in general is the lack of a visual reference for certain things like spells. They describe them, there might even be a picture somewhere. But having something like BG3 faithfully portray aspects of the game helps clear the air a little on some of the more vague systems.
Spatial awareness is the 1st descriptor I use to set the scene. It's the old way of detailing the environment the pc's enter that goes back to the original D&D. Our group rarely uses maps and miniatures. If you set the scene, establish the distances in the player's minds, you can provide all tactical choices without ever using props. It repeatedly formulates a more memorable experience if done right. Props are an aid, but every prop takes a tiny bit away from imagination. If a video game is need to create this, then all the better. I find my sports background created my sense of spatial awareness that I often take for granted, and is not shared by many people by default.
if your starting as a DM with 5e that would be why. 5e .... well it is designed so that magic items are optional while past editions your player wealth and exp curve were related, players at X level were expected to have X level wealth of magic items and resources, and then went on to have rules for custom magic items that could be anything. BG3 emulates this, even letting you have more that 3 magic items like older editions (in 3.5e for example you had a Head, Helmet, Shoulder, Wrist, Feet, Chest, Body, Waist, Neck, Eye, Hand and 2 ring slots, and there were slotless items like Ioun Stones you could have any number of)@@amarante2993
@@amarante2993 oh on that u are absolutely right. I am a GM with 3 years experience and I still had problem giving nice items to my players. And here we are with a not too powerful but great magical items
This game goes beyond game of the year. This game is straight groundbreaking.
Just being able to see dice rolls is soo much more satisfying than reading combat logs.
This isn't mentioned enough. Dice rolls are so satisfying.. and also for me anyway allows me to accept the bad rolls since I can see the dice.
Doesn't help the combat log is very buggy currently.
If no clickety-clackety, is whackety
Solasta does this even more - there you can see the dice rolls for every combat. Its actutally done in a nice way. I would love it if larian would do something like this as a option. Call it the Dice goblin option or something :D
idk about keyboard but you cant see dice on controller unless you look at the combat log...
I started a playthrough as a Druid and I spent so much time just talking to animals, it’s so in depth I didn’t wanna stop- I love finding a small detail on my own and feeling proud because basically no one else found it or I think no one else found it, it’s so great
Did you find the cat who wanted to start his own religion/cult? Speak with animals is by far my favorite part of the game!
@@raccoonadventures7357 So much fun, just for the Randomness of some Animals. Like the Anxiety ridden Blue Jay.
Rats never said anything back to me 😐.
@@rhysioeren3203There was a rat in the druid grove that tells you of a secret evil object hidden in a house. It got me curious and I went on lengths to infiltrate the house with the evil object, thinking it will be something important. It wasn't. The rat pranked me. 😅
Yeah I love when I was talking to a friend and was like and then there was this "weird ox" and he's like oh yeah I talked to them. Haha. I love how "normal" taking to a weird ox is
"respect choice and don't say no" what a respectable answer when trying to become a dungeon master
And what difference with blizzard telling the players "you don't want this" about the classic servers.
In theater, it’s called “yes, and…”
"You can certainly try"
I'm so used to playing such linear games that I'm always surprised by the amount of different ways to approach problems in BG3. It's truly an amazing game.
So much so.. that sometimes i am confused on what to do to progress my story as there ate yoo many options..
It’s the same quality of RPG as older games, just a fresh coat of paint. Most RPGs now have devs who’ve forgotten that at it’s core, an RPG is just dungeons & dragons, and a good d&d campaign has a good dungeon master and a good dungeon master doesn’t focus on forcing players down a path, but rather simply providing them a destination and letting the players go about reaching that point through any means they see fit. That’s what baldurs gate does and it’s such a relief to see a fully fleshed out classic rpg experience release to widespread acclaim.
@@TheSuperf12well it’s your story, what would you / your character do? If you can think it, you can probably do it.
@@thebigenchilada678 yeah i agree thats true but from my experience since divinity 2 the game gives so much options while not holding your hand at all that sometimes i am stuck, lost and confused on how i could proceed
Class act of a man, he’s had such success as a studio leader but still seems so polite and humble 🥰
I fear what will happen to the company when he dies. He needs to start grooming a protege.
@@DarkElfDiva …can we maybe say retires instead of dies? 😂
Belgian people are very humble 😉. No, serious now, I guess Swen doesn't yet realise he made one of the best games of all time.
@@DarkElfDivahe's not even old !
**Parasocial cringe**
15:20 they called back their voice actor to add a new ending for one of their characters just two weeks after release, after listening to player feedback.
Amazing, when it comes to the video game industry I feel like I just left an abusive relationship with other gaming companies and found myself someone that actually cares for me 😂
Swen is one of my very favourite people. What Larian achieved will go down in history as one of the greatest moments in my Gaming lifetime.
Not only in yours, believe me 😉
From divinity 1 it is my favorite gamestudio
oh yeah, they are totally underrated as a game dev and studio, i have been playing DOS for the last 5 years and they have been my fav game makers, so it really makes me happy for them to finally get the recognition they deserve.
hes a great guy for sure
Best RPG ever made in my opinion. It's more centered around role playing than any other RPG I've ever played.
This is the very first video game that made me legit cry. I've never felt so invested in relationships in a video game. BG3 is a total masterpiece and might be my favorite game of all time.
Not discounting your experience..but have you played last of us 1 and 2. Legit tearjerkers and masterpieces too.
@@kyletotten1685 those games are definitely emotional but I'm for sure more attached to the characters in BG3. I didn't like most of the characters in The Last of Us 1 or 2.
@lynnz7501 bg3 characters were designed to charm you. Last of us they are more realistic. Bg3 characters feel real but don't behave how most people do.
My comment is more related to the overall emotionally of the game though.
@@kyletotten1685 I mean you're right. I was just saying lol
Play Life is Strange 2! I honestly don't think I've cried that much in my life when the ending happened.. it's also one of those games with multiple endings and decisions mattering
It is not only the most popular video game for D&D of all time, but it's probably the most popular D&D product of all time, across every domain. And definitely among the best video games of all time, if not the best.
Absolutely correct. It blows my mind how popular d&d is getting.
Let's hope we'll get more of this kind of games in the future. Also I wish that modders would do a VTT and campaign creator for this game since Larian may be a pressed not to by WotC. This game can really be a great tool for this. Not to forget to add world map mode of some kind for the VTT so the campaigns wouldn't need to be in Larian kind of style with travelling but more of Owlcat kind of style.
On PC it is one of the most popular games of all time period
D&D, more like D&DEEZ NU-
I would love for some sort of online immersive dnd experience - where a DM can create a map and place npcs and write their dialogue and whatnot. Fug that would be so cool.
Always respect Swen for his passion and spirit. One of the very few examples of someone being determined and not selling out. I'm happy Larian is getting the attention they deserve.
It's amazing to think Larian has a permutation tree somewhere that shows all the choices players have made over the course of the game. It's like the Stanley Parable x1,000
Also amazing that this infographic likely shows paths zero players have discovered yet :)
I still have yet to find anyone who has gotten my ending 😮 so I believe it
It’s funny because shortly after the official launch, Larian made a comment where they ‘complained’ how many players chose to play humans or just ‘simple’ characters, when they have so many options.
Swen Vincke and Hidetaka Miyazaki. Two top game creators currently. Passionate, dedicated, hard working, picking challenge over easy money. Amazing guys.
BTW I've been a fan since Divine Divinity I picked 20 years ago as I was in a desperate need of something similar to Diablo. And it blew my mind. I need to play it again.
And Hideo Kojima, too.
@@kamchatmonkno, at one time yes, but you’re talking about someone who put product placement for Monster and ads for TWD in his latest game. That’s cheap
I'd nominate Yoshi-P (Naoki Yoshida) from Final Fantasy XIV and Masahiro Sakurai from Super Smash Bros Ultimate, too.
@@ezraspence He's been putting some product placement for his favorite glasses in MGS5 as well. I dunno, I don't see much of an issue with it. It kind of seems in line with him inviting Refn and Del Toro to play parts in DS - Kojima just places things and people he likes into his games.
Absolutely well deserved. Wonderful studio, wonder game. Lets celebrate a team and a game like this.
"Wonder game" 💀
"absolutely", sus choice of words
I can't stress enough how great the split screen is. Friend of mine is a console only guy. He doesn't do technology and doesn't like upgrading a computer. He also wasn't a huge fan of DnD or this style of rpg in general. Our first co-op session went about 9 hours. Then again the next week. Then the next week. I asked him if he wanted to swing by and watch a movie that came out with another friend of ours. His answer was "Sure, then let's get him to play Baldurs Gate". He'd have never bought the game himself. He'd never have tried it. Now he has his own copy and still comes by weekly to move our campaign forward.
I'm on my 3rd playthrough and can't stop playing this game. Thank you Swen and Larian
I really enjoy how different the playthroughs can be, a mage can solve a problem with smarts or spells but then a barbarian can just use brute force and it all just works.
@@costanzafaustthat is one way but also you can do the 'good guy' campaign, the 'murder hobo', the 'ego-central' and so on. I think I have around 7 totally different campaigns that I have started with different outcomes. Most of those are somewhere at end of act II or start act III (I got a re-roll issue :p) ... currently I am committed to at least finish one of these playthroughs though. On that one so far I resolved Shadowheart's, Astarion's and the Raphael story-line but even here there are so many different routes I could have taken. (the current campaign I am trying to be mostly a good guy, although Wyll MIGHT disagree somewhat, and maybe Halsin would have preferred I dealt with some boss in another way :P)
3rd playthrough ! ! !
I was happy last night at 3am when I completed, finally, the first act !! :P
The person who made this comment is a drug addict
Touch grass
The depth of roleplay in BG3 is staggering, this is the closest to table top in video game form I've ever seen. Also as a big fan of Divinity, I'm really hopeful for Divinity 3. DOS3 when!?! I kid, Larian absolutely deserves to savor this hard fought victory of a game!
Before launching BG3 they said that after BG3 they'll start working on DOS3. But it'll be years before we see it obviously.
The fact that the ingame cutscenes look so good as they do in this game is a testament to the quality of this game on its visual aspect, taken so many screenshots, over 230 hours played now.
The work created by Swen & his team is a remarkable gift to the gaming community. Congratulations Larian - VERY well done!
Player Empathy.
Looks like a ton of other studios could use some.
For many studios you're just a wallet, they will never care
it helps that Larian isn't a publicly traded company. if it was the story would be very different.
@@AndyRosaDesignThat’s the problem, and that’s why the outrage is getting louder.
Glad Larian sees that and decided it’s not worth whatever was perceived worth it to devalue players.
Getting a kick out of player excitement - this is so pure and important. Life just became better with BG3 and Larian Studios.
most AAA studios don't have their own Sven at the helm. They have corporate suits. and "investors" Most of those people never even touched a videogame in their life Games are just stock and good sales for them. And This is why modern games suck. If the decision making regarding our beloved hobby is left in the hands of men who do.not.give. a.single. F. it will never change.
Played BG1 and 2 on release, they were the best RPGs I had ever experienced. And BG3 made me feel the same.
Outstanding achievement and probably the most immersive rpg I've ever played in 30+ years of gaming.
It was a long wait but completely worth it. Crpgs were the first games I played growing up and they’ve always been my favorite.
Edit: spelling
Swen is a treasure and must be protected.
@@aj2ItooXgentlemen, contain yourselves
@@dmitrisemenoff6455 Food?
@@danielmeagher9007Not food! Friend!
That's why he wears full plate armour 😃
The fact they called the voice actor back and wrote and finished a new epilogue scene in just two weeks says it all.
It’s insane
"We can totally make an expansion for 12-20 level"..so you're telling me there's a chance. :P
It's still unreal to me that Baldur's Gate 3 is actually real, released and one of the best modern CRPG's ever. I can't sing Larian's praises enough. I really hope we will get more expansions to this game, because this can't be just a "one and done" thing.
God I hope they make a post game story for levels 12-20. With more dialogue/options for companions old and new.
@@desgroidI’d settle for level 15-16
@@christopherlucas9118 16. That allows locking out the (arguably broken) Wish spell and other 9th level magic. If Larian could figure out Wish and all it allows, then allowing players to go to 20 for the class capstone abilities would be fun.
@@sintanan469 They can do it the same way they did "Divine Intervention" (Hope from House of Hope has it): some set of options: like, getting a legendary weapon, resurrect all with restoring slots, lots of damage in an aoe, etc
They can easily make dlc with saving karlach from Zariel and githyanki civil war Vlaakith vs Orpheus with god mode Gale as companion
I've been playing D&D since 1977. This is the game I've been waiting for my whole life. It's by far the best game of the Year and Decade. I'm having so much fun playing it that I'm losing sleep. I highly recommend getting it.
first run 100 hours, second run Tactician mode and 40 hours in, with different choices looks like a brand new game.. Masterpiece!! Thanks Swen and all the Larian Team
150 hours in and still in act 3, lmfao. I'm very slow. Minus a dozen or so hours for the campaign with my brother
@@TheDrunkMunk in Act 3 I was scared to go on because I didn't want it to end 😅 but I would have easily hit 120+ if I didn't purposely left some quest open, with a second run you can really appreciate the weight of your choices.. take your time 👍🏻
@@AndyRosaDesignI find myself in the same boat lol.
Oh yeah, a "brand new game" lol. Sure. Tell me you didn't play the game without telling me.
@@As-tray I'm sorry but Wtf do you want?? 😂 are you from Bethesda? Hahah
Amazing CEO mentality. Larian deserves all the success and much more. Congrats to the whole Larian team! You guys are incredible
I bought this game in the first week of early access. In that time, I have not only become a fan of Baldur’s Gate 3, but I have become a massive ride or die fan of Larian Studios. I’m a 25 year old who started playing games back when I was around 6-8, and this is without question my favourite game of all time.
Larian propelled itself to AAA dev status with BG3. This truly is the best game I have played in years!!
Let's hope they don't follow the sad path of once legendary studios like Blizzard, Bioware or Bethesda.
@@deceiver444if I was at larian I'd be hoping for 0% growth now, at least employees and financing wise
I am at the end of the game, 100+ hours in. I already know that my second playthrough will be very different and not because of small changes. Baldur's Gate 3 is easily the game of the year and easily one of the best rpgs of all time. Huge congrats Larian devs, you guys rule. Now take some rest because you deserve it.
I'm currently on my second playthrough. I created a custom character for my 1st and went for "good/neutral" choices. I'm now playing as a Dark Urge fully embracing chaotic/evil options and taking paths that I never explored on my first run. I just got to Act II again and it feels like a completely different game. I've also been experimenting with a Bard character and the unique dialogue options for her had me roling with laughter several times 😄
@@FBWL-u1r good to know mate, thank you for sharing! I just actually finished the game. I went to check what character to make and I am between a bard and a monk, Awesome that the bard has unique options, I might actually start with one to see what's up! Thank you again for sharing!
@@DimiKaye You're welcome! And have lots of fun with the game! I'll definitely try my hands on a monk as well sometime in the future :)
Or you can wait for them to finish the game
The healing potion boss kill is one of the most creative wins I've ever heard of. Amazing that the game would support that.
The WHAT? 😂
I'm glad this is sparking a renaissance in these types of games again. It feels like how games used to be back in the 90's and early 2000's. Larian, you guys are great!
When I think about how perfect this game is and the company ethics....... I feel warm inside and it makes me wanna support such a franchise.
Well done guys we love love you 🖤
Detail detail detail this game has so much detail everywhere you look, every little area, path, house, everything has so much detail its insane. it just doesn't stop either. literally stabbed greed in the heart with this one.
As a tabletop GM for over 25 years and now an indie developer, thank you to Larian for making a game that captures a lot of the TRPG experience. I am getting a chance now to play in a campaign and recharge my creative batteries more.
BG3 is defo game of the year and RPG of the decade ❤
Oh easily. Well said.
Not since mass effect 2 I've felt like a child ,just wanna come home and turn on my pc
@@Copperkexsame thing for me with Dragon age origins and then divinity original sin 2 haha
It's pretty rare that games live up to the hype and for me BG3 is everything I wanted and so much more.
@@Copperkexmy feeling exactly!
"couples mode" description.....
This is probably the most wholesome thing ive ever heard anyone say in any interview ever.
As someone who loves couch co-op I'm so glad to see the lead of a video game studio say this. I remember playing Metal Gear Solid 4 with my boyfriend at the time (I played and he watched) and thinking, man, this game is MADE for playing with your partner. There were 45min cut scenes where you could just sit back and snuggle... And split scene moments where I was fighting in one scene as snake and Raiden fighting in the other in a long cinematic.. essentially giving him something exciting to watch while I fought. Very cool
I never thought about playing as a bard in an RPG before, but BG3 made me realize it's my favorite class to play and I never even knew it. Now I wonder how much I would have enjoyed other games if I could have just insulted and shred my lute to the end credits. God-tier game.
Swen is such an amazing person to have as a game dev I can’t wait to see the future of bg3, I trust his team completely. (Artificer and more subclasses pleaaaaase)
Epic game by a humble hero. You rock Swen.
Played this a lot in Early Access, and taking time to see everything on my first playthrough- going really, REALLY slow. Showing 273 hours played, and still haven't quite reached Moonrise Towers. Best RPG I've ever played on a computer, and I've played most all of them! Game of the Decade, in my eyes.
I am on my second playtrough and I am having a blast. Thank you Larian❤❤❤❤what a time to be alive.
It's honestly amazing to see a studio head be so passionate about a videogame. I now understand why modern "game companies" cope and seethe so hard when it comes to Larian and its craft.
Almost 400 h Playtime and 4 Playthroughs, im addicted to this game, feeling like i play WoW for the first time back in 2008.
same
protect this man at all cost. I'm excited to see his next project he's been dreaming up and I will be more than happy to be part of the EA.
With his love of scifi mentioned in the interview my brain went straight to 40k. Imagine a Larian produced 40k cRPG, I can dare to dream.
@@TheEyeDefy They should buy the warcarft IP
I would love for them to get the rights to Ultima. I know he is a fan.
I cannot express my undying love for this game. I was obsessed in EA and I’m hyper fixated in full release. I can’t think of anything else 😭
Protect this man at all costs. As a life long gamer, this man gives me hope for a future of gaming when so much of the industry does the opposite. Great interview!
Thank you Swen and Larian for the best crpg in over 20 years.
Maybe try playing crpgs before making such loud claims.
@@As-tray what crpgs do you recommend ?
They put speak with the dead in the game and let you talk to every dead body in the game. His response to it. “We put in the rule you can only ask 5 questions which was a bit limiting. It was not as good as we wanted.” Constantly trying to sharpen his craft and always seeking to improve. Protect this man and his incredible team!
This isn’t true though. You can talk to SOME bodies, absolutely not all.
Nooooo, Swen, I don't want you to leave Baldurs Gate 3 for new projects! You stay right there and give me a few DLCs!
( う-´)づ ︻╦̵̵̿╤── \(˚☐˚”)/
Sorry, i am just so addicted to this game and the great story. I am playing with my wife in "couple-mode" and we are having so much fun. Masterpiece. Thank you all so much!!!
PS: Somehow I feel like I cheated you all at Larian for just paying 60 Euro.
Just another huge fan of what you've achieved here saying thank you! You really do understand your audience and respect their opinions and wishes and that is certainly felt by all of us, I'm sure. Please keep making games with such loving care and creativity. Please keep being a bright beacon in the darkness and greed that can be the games industry.
I will play whatever you make next, however PLEASE make an expansion or sequel to this one first! So good. Thank you!
We all hope, but we know that next 4-5 years Larian will do some other game… After that it would take another 4-5 years to amke expansion… SO in earliest it will be 2031-2033 untill we can see expansion.
No no
this guy is actually amazing. his description of the couple's mode is exactly what I'm doing with my girlfriend right now and it is a really exciting experience to share.
I've played through DOS1, DOS2 and soon BG3 with my daughter, and it's been a really fantastic way to spend time together and to share a hobby :)
Love to see and hear how enthusiastic Swen is about BG3 and how proud he is about what he and Larian created! Thank you for this very special experience
60 hrs in and still on act 1 since the release on ps5; Like everyone , if I explained my experiences, it would take a thesis paper to describe the depth from just phase 1; but in short, this is one of the greatest games I have ever touched I my life; Thank you Larian. {P.S. if anyone here likes bg3, try pathfinder wrath of the righteous! trust me; you will love this just as much.)
Tnx for the tip! Finished bg3 and dos2 in the past month, now playing bg3 again, but pathfinder is next
@@nemojotun1284 there are many different pathways; though if I may, I HIGHLY recommend the litch play through; the depth and care is insane
@@omegapanda9980 Noted mate!
Chech this comment in a month haha :D
Both of them are bad.
@@ganshrio7336 damn; welp I guess, everything is subjective. But “to anybody who actually likes bg3”(as i mentioned in the original post), then my statement will most likely prove true. If you dont like crpgs or bg3 disreguard my suggestion. I feel that way towards fps’s and rogue likes. Different strokes
just hearing about the process to 'fix' karlach's ending, and the SPEED of its execution, absolutely blows my mind. swen, you will forever have my trust, and my money! much love to you and the team
She's far from being fixed, i hope this was just band aid solution
@@tinheart2853 and what is your idea of 'fixed'? an happy ending with the fabulous 'cut content' stuff that people datamined?
They didn't fix anything. It's the same bad ending with an extra scene that should've been there from the start.
@@Lewa500 exactly this, this better be just for now, while we are waiting for real fix
@@tinheart2853try playing starfield😊 might be more your speed and you dont have to care about you not liking changes. Because there will be none.
The replayability of this game is amazing. I rarely ever get the urge to play a game again right after finishing it, but with this one I really do want to do a dark urge playthrough next where I make very different choices.
Larian did an incredible job.
I have to say that Sven and his whole team are absolutely awesome people. It is so refreshing hearing game dev talking this about the fans. Also kudos to Sven, he has very healthy approach to leadership. Really inspiring on so many levels. I can’t wait to start my bard play through 😊
Also, Bards are awesome in the game! I played some music in the emerald grove to get everyone to watch me, while Shadowheart snuck over and stole the idol!
Been a fan since DOS 1. Will buy anything that comes out from this studio, not even thinking twice.
Yet... Had to be pessimistic thx to CDPR
I have been playing this game since it launched on Ps5 and I am amazed with this game so far. Totally just an amazing experience. The music is really good. The voice acting and sheer amount of choice is impressive to say the least. This is the best game I have played in a long time. I love seeing the passion this team has put into their game. Amazing.
that idea about how to handle the Grimforge boss is brilliant!
I love it when people work hard and deal honestly and things come out right for them.
I just hope you guys make more d&d games in the future. You guys are amazing
I wouldn't be against another Planescape game or a Dark Sun campaign
I want them to buy the rights for Ultima and make new Ultima games.
@@BrokenNoahthis prob wouldnt work for a number of reasons but i wouldnt say no to a BG3 expansion set in a section of Sigil
A very interesting point by Swen that he doesn't look at what choices are popular because it might impact them making creative choices for the minority. A contrast with WotC who are designing their next edition guided by popular feedback.
Obviously BG3 and 5e rulesets are different products so I'm not saying one approach is wrong, it's just interesting to see different philosophies.
Th problem with only looking at player choices through algorithms is that some players play for the roleplaying aspect. Others play solely for the "gameplay combat power optimization" aspect and those players won't give a damn about "storyline ethics", they will do horrible things to companion characters or completely re-write their stats just to get that Ascended Astarion level 12 Fighter with astral tadpole powers and 19 attacks per turn to kill Raphael in one round. Yet other players want a "evil campaign" or are still stuck in their preconceived notions about the companion characters based on the Early Access Act 1 and simply kill a specific companion they have decided to hate in every playthru they do.
Simply one of the best pieces of gaming software of it's kind.
The variety of paths available, objects and environments that are totally inter-actable, amazing NPC interaction.. all lead to amazing creative possibilities for us gamers.
Thank you for raising the bar so high Larian!
What an absolute feat. We are lucky to be alive to experience this game.
“Absolute”
its incredible to witness what very well could be the greatest leader in modern gaming Swen Vincke. When he was talking about giving his team creative ownership, giving them space to fail and learn. and how he is against the top down style of management we see so many studios employ. This man is at the pinnacle of his craft. years of experience with immense passion and natural talent all coalesce to create the greatest CEO of modern gaming Swen Vincke!
“I want to make sure we will keep on investing heavily in things that maybe 0.001% of the audience will see” I definitely see and appreciate this so much. This game is something incredible.
been 3 weeks since i started playing Baldur im at act 3 and i can firmly say this is my favorite game ever, thank you Larian and Sven for this.
Oath of Vengeance Paladin Thiefling, i ended up playing after creating like 10 characters before hahahaha
Same here. Best ever.
Not a DnD player and not a huge turn-based games fan (first and last turn-based one I played was Heroes III), and I love bg3. Larian truly created something magical. Looking forward for patches... and an expansion or two would be amazing.
The branching choices and scope of the game is monumental but it looks like we are hitting a limit on what's possible. Unless the team has 1000 people and they take 10+ years making the game.... The further you go and the more features/ characters you add, the more permutations... I wonder if this century we will get a fully simulated (down to small particles) environment and AI (almost sentient) powered NPC's. With this each playtrough would be truly unique and there would be no problem with implementing features because the simulation would handle everything by itself
I think the AI concept is amazing. And I do believe we may see implementation of something along those lines within the next 10 years. Which is extremely exciting.
Such a humble, creative, inspiring, visionary. Genius gets thrown around a lot, but the way he has guided his team is truly inspiring
Makes me think of the exact opposite personality like a Randy Pitchford. No light without darkness I guess.
Just started my second play through. As someone who would have never thought I would enjoy this type of game, I’m enthralled by it. The story is just addictive and whimsical and epic 👏
42:57 - this man just straight up created a whole expansion in his head for 12 to 20 and you can see it in his eyes.
Super awesome interview! Larian Studios deserves the flowers.
The game is a masterpiece. I was constantly impressed just how well intertwined everything was. On some occasions I would make minor changes to gameplay that I thought would not have a ripple effect and 99% of the time it did. I think there was only 1 or 2 times in act 3 where links seemed broken but they were minor and never got in the way of the overall game. One that I remember was after dealing with the watch robots (wont add anymore details for spoiler reasons) some of the npcs didnt register what had happened and they were still talking about them as if it didnt happen.
"These patches are coming out VERY fast. I am NOT used to that"
What an incredible subtle jab at the state of the game industry.
Yeah total opposite of other "small indie company" who has major flaw in its stat system .. and that takes months to fix ..............
Or major AAA company who harasses their female employees, throws frat parties when they should be working, and tells their fans the bugs will be fixed soon*.
I like how everyone know you talking about diablo 😂
They pushed the BG3 release date up by a month saying it was ready... I would hope the patches would be coming out fast.
Todd's "thank you words" in the end really gave me goosebumps. So honest. Thanks for doing this great interview.
Todd?
@@64-96 The name of the interviewer, yes.
Thank you Larian for developing a masterpiece and WotC for trusting Larian to do so! I haven't been hooked on a game like this since Witcher 3, The amount of detail and freedom in BG3 is just outstanding. Can't wait to play more and especially running the story with a party through multiplayer!
80 hours in. Just hit act 3. Going slow and enjoy my path of vengeance paladin. What a game, thank you for following such an acclaimed series with the best entry yet!
Sven is great. I got hooked after DOS1, even though I miss cooldowns instead of spell slots and the amount of elemental interactions compared to those games, just how strongly BG3 captures real dnd moments has made it the best game I have ever played.
Like Todd said, I do now have to homebrew shove rules because people do love it so much. (shove more than 5ft, since only 5ft isn't as fun)
Great interview, very knowledgeable going in and asked the best questions as a result, a very personable interviewer too. 🙂
The eternal forging of alliances, friendships, love, and relationships down, down, down by the great River Chionthar. I don’t want the game to end. Don’t wake me up. Just leave me there dreaming…
Just a big Fat Thank you for putting all your Love in your Games!!
I don’t have next gen so I’ve been watching my friends that don’t know dnd play baldurs gate and they’ve been having lots of fun and it’s been a joy to see they like it. Props to creators
Tis a joy, tis also a torture 😢 lol