In a year full of incredible titles, Baldur’s Gate 3 is shaping up to be another masterpiece. The expansive RPG boasts more than a hundred hours of content and offers unmatched freedom in how players approach conflicts and romance. It is a high-water mark for RPGs and gaming in general.
But is it so good that other companies are suing developer Larian Studios for $100 billion?
That’s the latest rumor floating around, stemming from a TikTok that claims big publishers like Activision Blizzard, EA, and Ubisoft are suing Larian for “unfairly raising players’ expectations.”
These rumors are, of course, false. There is no such lawsuit against Larian Studios for making too good of a game. But the viral joke does say something about how players perceive the industry at large — and how Baldur’s Gate 3 has disrupted the status quo.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has launched with few flaws, delivering a wealth of engrossing content, which is even more impressive considering the game's release was moved up one month. The few issues that have arisen since the launch have been promptly addressed by developers, even the lack of crediting translation staff. Enjoying a well-made AAA game with few flaws upon launch feels like a breath of fresh air.
All of this reflects poorly on the current state of AAA games. Activision Blizzard, EA, and Ubisoft are three of the biggest publishers in the industry and have some of the biggest franchises under their collective belts, and all three have faced plenty of criticism. This includes everything from repetitive game design to unfair labor practices.
Diablo 4, from Activision Blizzard, is another big RPG that was released this year. But as opposed to the smooth launch of Baldur’s Gate 3, the game was mired by bugs and new features that left players with a bad taste in their mouths. Ubisoft has similarly faced criticism for its more-is-more approach to open-world game design compared to Tears of the Kingdom and Elden Ring, which do away with a check-list exploration style.
The implication is that Larian Studios has set the bar too high for other companies by making a game that just works on launch. How in the world could companies like Activision Blizzard, EA, and Ubisoft hope to do the same when they are content to make “lesser” experiences that continue to sell?
This does ignore that Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t just any other game. It took six years to make, went through a long early access period, and cost the same as other AAA games. It isn’t a case of doing basic game development as it should be done, it's the product of a team going above and beyond to deliver something exceptional.
Baldur’s Gate 3 does raise the bar. And while that doesn’t mean Larian will be getting sued anytime soon, it does mean players are hungry for more polished and varied experiences.
