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Baldur's Gate 3 studio says it understands Microsoft underestimating game

Draugoth

Gold Member
Replying to an article that spotlighted Microsoft's underestimation of Baldur's Gate 3, Douse noted that "everyone else" had also done the same.

"Same with [Divinity: Original Sin 2]... There just isn't any existing data that could have told anyone how [Baldur's Gate 3] was going to perform,"

Douse stated.

"We just had to take giant spooky leaps."



These giant spooky leaps have worked wonders for the studio, with Baldur's Gate 3 receiving scores of praise across the board from the media and players. In our own four star review, contributor Ruth Cassidy said Baldur's Gate 3 "achieves its quest to be Tabletop Roleplaying: The Video Game, with a to-and-fro of distinctive scenes that invite you to pay attention to them, and reward you generously for responding thoughtfully".
 
Sorry but this is fucking stupid.

"Second-run" means that it isn't launching on Xbox, was originally going to launch on Stadia, I presume, as a timed exclusive.

The Xbox launch would be the "second run".

They didn't mean "second rate", as the moronic "journalist" thinks.

oprah-shrug.gif
 
Sorry but this is fucking stupid.

"Second-run" means that it isn't launching on Xbox, was originally going to launch on Stadia, I presume, as a timed exclusive.

The Xbox launch would be the "second run".

They didn't mean "second rate", as the moronic "journalist" thinks.

oprah-shrug.gif
They also proposed to pay a paltry 5 million dollars for a day 1 gamepass launch. That would have been a painful hole in Larian's potential earnings given its runaway success on PC *and* PS5 to date.

This is the underestimating of BG3. Good thing the deal was never floated to them. It would have been tragic.

So yes, MS was underestimating BG3.
 
They also proposed to pay a paltry 5 million dollars for a day 1 gamepass launch. That would have been a painful hole in Larian's potential earnings given its runaway success on PC *and* PS5 to date.

This is the underestimating of BG3. Good thing the deal was never floated to them. It would have been tragic.

So yes, MS was underestimating BG3.
Maybe next time Microsoft will consult their crystal ball when making initial valuations :messenger_crystal_ball:
 

Doom85

Member
Maybe next time Microsoft will consult their crystal ball when making initial valuations :messenger_crystal_ball:

Well, let’s see here:

-Baldur’s Gate is an established IP
-Dungeons and Dragons is bigger than it’s ever been. Things like Critical Role and Stranger Things have helped push awareness even more, and the last few years have had the D&D TTRP books break sales records of the IP’s lifetime
-Act 1 has been in EA for three years, and virtually everyone was singing its praises.

You‘re right, Microsoft had zero reason to believe this game could be a success.

Danger 5 Laughing GIF
 
Well, let’s see here:

-Baldur’s Gate is an established IP
-Dungeons and Dragons is bigger than it’s ever been. Things like Critical Role and Stranger Things have helped push awareness even more, and the last few years have had the D&D TTRP books break sales records of the IP’s lifetime
-Act 1 has been in EA for three years, and virtually everyone was singing its praises.

You‘re right, Microsoft had zero reason to believe this game could be a success.

Danger 5 Laughing GIF

It's a release of a game that would've already been released exclusive on another platform/s for an unknown amount of time.

They can only make a valuation based on the performance of Larian's last title.

There's nothing stopping a dev from negotiating for more money.

Case in point: Game doesn't seem to be doing exceptionally well on it's second-run release on PS5, does it.

d474d7b7e24583c5b7517daa22f0f936.gif
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
It's a release of a game that would've already been released exclusive on another platform/s for an unknown amount of time.

They can only make a valuation based on the performance of Larian's last title.

There's nothing stopping a dev from negotiating for more money.

Case in point: Game doesn't seem to be doing exceptionally well on it's second-run release on PS5, does it.

d474d7b7e24583c5b7517daa22f0f936.gif

I get both of your points, as sure writing was on the wall that BG3 could be a hit, but I agree with Little on this one.

This is a surprise hit as I don't really know if I could say, for sure we'd see such a massive turn out on Steam, tons of perfect scores and records being broken by the team in terms of sales to this degree. Now I don't know how well its selling on PS5, but you have a point about all MS or anyone can do prior to release is judge them based on their last title.

So they can ask for more money for BG4 or Divinity Sin 3 etc.
 

bitbydeath

Member
It’s clearly a AAA game with AAA features.
I don’t know why anyone thought that wouldn’t sell. It’s exactly why Sony first party games are so popular.
 
They also proposed to pay a paltry 5 million dollars for a day 1 gamepass launch. That would have been a painful hole in Larian's potential earnings given its runaway success on PC *and* PS5 to date.

This is the underestimating of BG3. Good thing the deal was never floated to them. It would have been tragic.

So yes, MS was underestimating BG3.
They did not propose anything. That was a list exploring what they might pay for Gamepass titles. BG3 was revealed in a Stadia conference which is why it was not considered expensive to get.
 
"Second-run" means that it isn't launching on Xbox, was originally going to launch on Stadia, I presume, as a timed exclusive.

The Xbox launch would be the "second run".

They didn't mean "second rate", as the moronic "journalist" thinks.
This so much. All that warring is making people stupid. Even "journalists" fail when they see a chance to jump on the bandwagon.
 
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