Sven Vincke says Baldur's Gate 3 isn't a "AAA curse" and praises new RPG Skald: Against the Black Priory

Baldur's Gate 3 is not a "curse" for AAA developers, as some consider the game - in fact, it can be more of a help than a hindrance in creating future RPGs. This was explained by Larian's head Sven Vincke in an interview with GamePressure during the recent Digital Dragons conference in Poland.

Vincke categorically denies that Baldur's Gate 3 "instills fear in the hearts of AAA developers." Such an assessment was first loudly voiced on Twitter by developer Khaleave Nelson Jr. in July 2023. He expressed his opinion about Larian's ability to set a new standard for RPG development.

The "Larian boss" not only does not believe in this, but also considers the studio's work to be a blessing, not a curse for the rest of the industry. The lead writer of Baldur's Gate 3, Adam Smith, added: "In every conversation I've had with RPG developers since its release, they've said, 'This is cool because it inspires us'."

“I’m sure behind closed doors, some of them are cursing our name,” Smith continues jokingly. “I’m sure they are. But in the bigger picture Baldur's Gate 3 shows what you can do.”

Smith gives the example of an unnamed developer who told him that Baldur's Gate 3 gave them "a slight edge in their next business meeting. When someone says 'that's too much,' we can say, 'something similar already worked'."

As for new RPGs, Sven Vincke recently praised the retro-style game Skald: Against the Black Priory. "This is what I was waiting for. I respect its ambitions, and I like how it looks," Vincke wrote on Twitter.

Skald is presented in a VGA-style color palette. Pixel graphics take the player back to the early era of CRPG history - even before the rise of Fallout / Baldur's Gate in the 1990s, paying homage to the often forgotten Ultima series. Undoubtedly, Skald: Against the Black Priory is a niche product, but the game appealed to one of those people who currently define what RPGs will look like in the near future.

For PC Gamer, Vincke commented that, although he has not delved deeply into Skald yet, "the little I've seen already fills me with deep respect for what Anders and his team have achieved."

“It's a great thing from the start that this kind of role-playing game is a real achievement. Next week I'm flying to Los Angeles and plan to play it the entire flight. My gaming time is limited, so this is probably the biggest compliment I can give.”

This is not the first time Larian has paid attention to a project by a smaller studio. Back in April, Blasphemous level designer Enrique Colinet revealed that Larian supported the game with $1,000 on Kickstarter (the maximum pledge), without asking for anything in return.