After a period of some uncertainty, Baldur’s Gate 3 is now available on Xbox Series X/S, which begs the question – could the smash hit RPG ever end up on Xbox Game Pass? Baldur’s Gate 3 is exactly the kind of high-engagement title that could potentially drive long-term Game Pass subscriptions, so I’m sure Microsoft would love it, but according to Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke, it’s not happening.
Vincke rightfully points out that Baldur’s Gate 3 delivers a ton of content without any sort of additional microtransactions or monetization, so he feels it’s only fair players should have to pay for that experience…
“We always said from the get-go, it wasn’t going to be on Game Pass, it’s not going to be on Game Pass. […] 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. We don’t charge you any micro-transactions on top of it, so you get what you pay for. Upfront it’s a big meaty game. So I think that should be able to exist as it is. This is what allows us to continue making other games.”
Fair enough! Of course, this story takes on a bit of an extra layer, when you take into account leaks from earlier this year that indicated Microsoft once thought they’d be able to get Baldur’s Gate 3, which they described as a “second-run Stadia PC RPG,” on Game Pass for only $5 million. By comparison, they expected to pay $250 million to get Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Now, those estimates were from mid-2022, obviously Microsoft looks at BG3 differently now, as we all do, but still… could Larian still be just a touch salty about that old appraisal of their game’s worth?
Haven’t been keeping up with Baldur’s Gate 3? The Game Awards GOTY is definitely worth your time, as spelled out in Wccftech’s very positive 9.5 out of 10 review…
“With its engaging story, charming characters, extremely dynamic world that constantly reacts and adapts to the player’s actions and choice and a solid tactical combat system, Baldur’s Gate 3 is among the best CRPGs ever released. A wonky interface, the lack of some quality-of-life features and Larian Studios’ trademark save scumming design impact the experience, but they’re only minor issues that don’t take away too much from the whole experience. After years in development, Baldur’s Gate 3 definitely exceeded all expectations in the best possible way.”
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.
