LogFAQs > #975404453

Modern triple-A game development is often unsustainable, relying on crunch and high staff turnover in order to produce a Diablo or a Borderlands or a Street Fighter. To that end, I can understand where this sentiment is coming from.

That being said, Baldur's Gate 3 was an early access title that's only just getting its big push now after years of active development and playability. Perhaps it was able to be produced on a more sustainable model. It's also self-published, rather than having Activision or EA levels of demand or funding.

Baldur's Gate 3 may become the new standard in this style of game, and I understand the exasperation because not every studio can do that. Historically, that sort of breakthrough ala CoD or Mass Effect or whatever has come from a big publisher bankrolling a game and throwing people, money and advertising at it. As far as I can tell though, this has been a steady, years-long passion project from a group of independent devs that has naturally grown and developed in a playable state over the course of years. This is the fruits of the dev's constant labor. It's worthy of its praise, and if it becomes a new standard, I think that comes from the sheer quality that the devs have managed to accomplish with their unconventional development cycle.

So yeah, gotta say, I disagree with this take. Unless I'm totally wrong here, this is hardly the enemy that people are making it out to be.

Edit: I learned they've had some experience with publishers, I refined my thoughts in the next post.