Subj : Baldur's Gate 3 director says players won't ever find Larian Stud
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Wed Jan 17 2024 14:00:06

Baldur's Gate 3 director says players won't ever find Larian Studios' games 
on a subscription service

Date:
Wed, 17 Jan 2024 13:58:49 +0000

Description:
Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has said that the studio's games won't ever be 
found on a subscription service.

FULL STORY
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Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has said that the studio's games won't ever be 
found on a subscription service because he wants "to make sure the other 
ecosystem doesnt die." 

The Baldur's Gate 3 director was responding to recent comments made by 
Ubisofts director of subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, who said in an 
interview with GamesIndustry.biz that players need to start getting 
"comfortable" with not owning their games as the subscription service 
business grows. 

In a discussion on Twitter / X, Vincke shared his stance on the paid service 
model and explained why he thinks this isn't what gamers want. 

"Whatever the future of games looks like, content will always be king," 
Vincke said. "But its going to be a lot harder to get good content if 
subscription becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide 
what goes to market and what not. Direct from developer to players is the 
way. 

"Getting a board to ok a project fueled by idealism is almost impossible and 
idealism needs room to exist, even if it can lead to disaster. Subscription 
models will always end up being cost/benefit analysis exercises intended to 
maximize profit. Whatever the future of games looks like, content will always 
be king. But its going to be a lot harder to get good content if subscription 
becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide what goes to 
market and what not. Direct from developer to players is the way. 
https://t.co/wEUvd5adt0 January 17, 2024 See more 

"There is nothing wrong with that but it may not become a monopoly of 
subscription services," Vincke continued. "We are already all dependent on a 
select group of digital distribution platforms and discoverability is brutal. 
Should those platforms all switch to subscription, itll become savage. 

In such a world by definition the preference of the subscription service will 
determine what games get made. Trust me - you really dont want that, he adds, 
referring to gamers. 

As Ubisoft gears up to launch two brand-new tiers for its Ubisoft+ 
subscription service , called Premium and Classics, Tremblay said in the 
GI.biz interview: "Gamers are used to owning their games. That's the consumer 
shift that needs to happen." 

Vincke doesn't agree with this sentiment, and added that he has no issue with 
other developers using the model as an opportunity to make their games, but 
Larian Studios won't ever make that move. 

"TLDR; you wont find our games on a subscription service even if I respect 
that for many developers it presents an opportunity to make their game," he 
said. "I dont have an issue with that. I just want to make sure the other 
ecosystem doesnt die because its valuable." 

Vincke previously revealed that despite Baldur's Gate 3 's release on Xbox 
Series X |S, it was never planned to be made available via Xbox Game Pass . 
At the time, he elaborated: "We are in the business of making a game that has 
a beginning, middle, and an end. We made a big game, so I think there's a 
fair price to be paid for that, and I think that that is okay." 

 Check out our list of the best RPGs you can play right now if you're looking 
for something new to play, as well as our list of the best Xbox Game Pass 
games .



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/gaming/consoles-pc/baldurs-gate-3-director-says-play
ers-wont-ever-find-larian-studios-games-on-a-subscription-service


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