Latest news with #LarianStudios
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Baldur's Gate 3 publisher criticices Randy Pitchford's $80 Borderlands 4, calls it gross
Michael Douse, publishing director of Larian Studios, has criticised Gearbox Software boss Randy Pitchford over his recent remarks on the pricing of the upcoming Borderlands 4, calling them 'gross' amid ongoing cost-of-living concerns. Pitchford sparked backlash after suggesting that 'real fans' would 'find a way' to purchase Borderlands 4 even if it launched at an $80 price point — a significant increase compared to typical game costs. He cited paying $80 for a Sega Genesis game 30 years ago as justification, a claim many see as out of touch with current economic realities. Douse, whose studio developed Baldur's Gate 3, called Pitchford's comment 'gross.' on social media: 'Inflation exists (we give inflation bumps for example to employees) and price increases can make sense, but saying 'real fans will find a way' is gross because it assumes your game is more important during a cost of living crisis than, for example, making it day to day.' He added: 'Real fans are people who love & understand what you do, keep track, and engage with your stuff regardless of how much they spend.' Inflation exists (we give inflation bumps for example to employees) and price increases can make sense, but saying "real fans will find a way" is gross because it assumes your game is more important during a cost of living crisis than, for example, making it day to day. — Very AFK (@Cromwelp) May 20, 2025 When asked whether Baldur's Gate 3 would ever have an $80 price tag, Douse said even if it did, 'we would probably not suggest people do whatever they can to buy it, lest they not be real fans.' Neither publisher 2K Games nor parent company Take-Two Interactive have confirmed the final price of Borderlands 4, due for release this September. However, Pitchford's comments have already stirred discontent among fans, with some resorting to review-bombing the Borderlands series on Steam amid concerns over new user agreements. The $80 price point, if confirmed, would place Borderlands 4 among the most expensive mainstream video games, prompting broader discussions about affordability and value in the gaming industry during challenging economic times.
Gizmodo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Wizkids Apologizes After Its Dodgy ‘Baldur's Gate 3' Miniatures Hit With Vicious Mockery
After pictures of in-hand copies of Wizkids' new pre-painted Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures emerged and were promptly ridiculed last week, the toymaker has announced plans to offer complete refunds to players disappointed by the horrifying paint jobs that turned Faerun's finest into eldritch abominations. The controversy around Wizkids' new $50 Icons of the Realms: Baldur's Gate 3 went viral last week, when players who had pre-ordered the set of seven pre-painted miniatures of the main party from Larian's hit D&D video game found them arriving with almost comically bad paint applications—significantly worse than the production images used to sell the set promoted, which were themselves already significantly worse than the images used for the highly anticipated set's reveal last year. Although no one expected seven mass-market miniatures to hit the quality of, say, a Golden Demon entrant, when Karlach's eyes start slipping halfway down her face, Lae'zel's hair is half Githyanki-skintone colored, and Gale looks more like a Dollar Tree Matt Berry, something has gone clearly wrong. Thankfully, Wizkids agrees. In a statement released to the company's official website today, Wizkids offered an apology for the quality of its Baldur's Gate 3 minis. 'As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play. We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products,' the statement opens. 'Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur's Gate 3 Character Boxed Set.' Wizkids will offer complete refunds to anyone who purchased the set directly from the company, but also offered that anyone who purchased the box set through their local game store can return it to point of purchase for a complete refund as well. Should anyone be brave enough to want a replacement instead, they can also fill out an online form to receive a set that Wizkids will 'ensure that it meets the standards expected.' Wizkids has also removed the Icons of the Realm set from its webstore, so anyone looking to try and buy a questionable piece of Baldur's Gate 3 history might find themselves out of luck. 'Please accept our sincerest apologies for the frustration and disappointment these quality issues caused our customers. We, too, feel the same as the final product did not meet our expectations or that of our Wizards of the Coast partner,' the statement concluded. 'Our teams are working to find the best solutions to resolve this for all involved and to work with you, our customers, to fix this.' Hasbro's broader stewardship of Baldur's Gate 3 in the wake of Larian officially moving on from the game after its latest patch has been marked by a series of unfortunate public mishaps as it seeks to capitalize on the immense success of the 2023 smash hit. In a much less funny situation than badly painted miniatures, earlier this year Wizards of the Coast scrapped its much-vaunted virtual tabletop project Sigil, which had extensively leveraged the ability to use characters like Baldur's Gate's Karlach and Astarion in promotional material. Hopefully we get a few more critical hits rather than natural 1s, whatever the company decides to do with BG3 next.
Metro
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Baldur's Gate 3 boss criticises 'boring' DLC and explains new five year plan
Larian Studios is effectively done with Baldur's Gate 3, but no DLC plans means it can focus on its next two role-playing games. Thanks to the overwhelming success of Baldur's Gate 3, it felt like a safe bet that developer Larian Studios would pump out at least one DLC expansion. In fact, the studio began discussing the possibility in the wake of the game's launch in August 2023. Many months later though, and whatever plans Larian had were abandoned, with studio boss Swen Vincke announcing that there would not only be no DLC, but it wouldn't be helming the inevitable sequel either. Theories of a falling out between Larian and Dungeons & Dragons licence holder Hasbro aside, Vincke has since given a simpler and blunter explanation for the lack of DLC: it would've been boring to make. Vincke recently spoke with GameSpot, to discuss the future of Larian, his thoughts on AI in game development, and plenty of other topics. The subject of Baldur's Gate 3's abandoned DLC plans came up, with Vincke specifically asked why Larian was not in the 'DLC business.' 'It's boring,' Vincke answered, adding that there is simply 'no passion' for it within the studio. 'I mean happy player, happy business, but you also need a happy developer for a happy player. What we're doing now makes developers way more happy. It very much sounds like plans for Baldur's Gate 3 DLC only began out of obligation, since Larian felt it was something it was supposed to do. According to Vincke, 'The moment that we had some time to think, we realised, 'What are you doing?' 'Progressive insight is not a bad thing, so sometimes you go down the wrong path and then say, 'Oh f*** it', and just change course.' It's a strange position, that Vincke doesn't really explain, but the previous two Divinity: Original Sin games also didn't have any DLC, so apparently Larian just doesn't like making it. The closest there's been to DLC for Baldur's Gate 3 is numerous patches, that have added new features to the game. The latest one dropped just a couple of weeks ago, introducing new subclasses and a photo mode, although Larian swears this is the last major update for the game. More Trending Elsewhere in the interview, Vincke mentioned that Larian is 'deep in the trenches' on its next project, which is 'shaping up quite well' and is 'crazy ambitious.' As a reminder, Larian is juggling development on two new role-playing games. Only the biggest studios can manage two triple-A titles at once, and even then they usually make only one and several smaller titles. But in this case Vincke wants games developed in parallel, so that the larger first team can quickly move over to help the smaller second once they're finished. 'I hope I can tell you five years from now: We cracked it. We figured it out. This is what we're doing now,' says Vincke, who is aware the approach is a risk. '… And when game two is going to be ready, we already have another thing that's gonna come. If we can make that work in a really good way, that we enjoy our lives, that's gonna be mission accomplished.' Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Baldur's Gate 4 was playable before it was cancelled admits Larian Studios boss MORE: Baldur's Gate 4 will not take 25 years promises Dungeons & Dragons owner MORE: Top 10 online co-op video games for modern consoles and PC – Reader's Feature
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bungie's Marathon reboot — here's what you need to know
In this week's gaming round-up, we get insights from a former PlayStation legend, while also highlighting a slew of news on retiring VTubers and leaks. The big picture Bungie has shown off a new gameplay of its upcoming extraction multiplayer shooter title Marathon, a Player-versus-Player-versus-Environment-focused remake of a trilogy of single-player shooters. The game's art style looks slick, and its gunplay and controls feel top-notch and akin to past Bungie titles like the Destiny duology and the Halo trilogy. However, that may not be enough to stand out in a crowded shooter market, from similar titles like Escape From Tarkov to PvP-focused games like Marvel Rivals, or even battle royale giants like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile. Let's also not forget that today's Bungie is not the same studio that made the best Destiny expansions or the Halo titles up to Halo: Reach. Bungie has until its release date of Sept 23 to make Marathon as enticing as possible — and even post-launch, the road ahead will be tough to rise above the competition. Short beats Larian Studios has released its final update for the acclaimed computer RPG, Baldur's Gate 3. The patch features 12 new subclasses, Photo Mode, and more quality-of-life upgrades. Famous 'Let's Play' VTuber Gawr Gura is set to graduate on May 1 due to conflicts with her current management. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake is set to launch the week of April 21; screenshots were leaked on Virtuos' homepage before it was made private. EA has announced a new Star Wars turn-based strategy game called Star Wars: Zero Company. Action-adventure open-world sci-fi game Prototype might be making a comeback. Op-Eds We interviewed Shuhei Yoshida, ex-PlayStation production and games industry veteran. He shared insights on PlayStation consoles and portables, indie games and Malaysian developers, and also discussed the most influential games of the past decade. Since it's Easter weekend, we also explore the best resurrections in gaming. Games out this week Bionic Bay is an action platformer where a scientist uses a teleportation instrument to escape an ancient biomechanical world filled with imaginative tech, deadly traps, and hidden secrets. Built for speedrunning. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a 2.5D search action title set in a dark fantasy world. Players battle monsters across a 40+ hour story, master six unique classes, craft hundreds of items, and explore a sprawling world. Rusty Rabbit is a metroidvania starring a bunny in a mecha suit. Stamp, a rabbit with an old soul, pilots his mech 'Junkster' through the icy ruins of a frozen world in this side-scrolling action-adventure. Lunar: Remastered Collection brings back two classic late-90s JRPGs — Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar: Eternal Blue. Recommended viewing To celebrate the upcoming launch of 2D fighting game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves next week, SNK has teamed up with anime director Masami Obari for a special Fatal Fury music video. As mentioned above, VTuber Gawr Gura is graduating on May 1. Here's a highlight reel reminding us why she became one of the most popular names in the scene.
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Baldur's Gate 3: 10 Things You Might Have Missed In Patch 8
Baldur's Gate 3 Credit: Steam I was a latecomer to Baldur's Gate 3, and Patch 8—the final update for one of the greatest games ever—feels like an everything-must-go sale at an awesome store you just discovered a week ago. You're happy to get all this cool stuff at a discount, but I'm still like, 'Dang, but it's really over, huh?' In any case, Patch 8 is enormous. It's so big you may have missed some pretty important pieces on your first spin through on patch day (April 15). No worries. Here are 10 updates from the patch that you might have missed. I saw the headlines about the new epilogue, but I had no idea Larian Studios would go this hard creating layers and expanding on the beautiful cinematic screens that are arguably the charm of the game. There are over 3,000 different narrative combinations based on how you played. If you saved the owlbear cub, romanced Gale, or decided to completely ghost Wyll, Patch 8 brings consequence and closure for the decisions you've made. Speaking of cinematic scenes, Karlach's departure felt like the death of a small-part actor in Game of Thrones. For months, fans pushed Larian to give Karlach a send-off befitting the impact the character had on users. Patch 8 makes it possible—if you choose the right path. There's a dope moment that I won't spoil too much, but if you can pull the right levers, you'll see it. Withers' wardrobe has been upgraded. He also has some new lines. This isn't a major addition, but fans of the character will notice the newness. If you've established good relationships with your companions, you'll be rewarded with new lines. They'll mostly surface late in the game and in post-game interactions. These are pretty rare, but when you spend hundreds of hours playing a game—especially one that seemingly draws you closer to the characters you encounter along the way—the little things matter. Larian has made it clear they aren't just allowing modders to have at it with their masterpiece—they're giving them tools to add as much longevity to the game as possible. Many in the community have pointed out the addition of backend support for modders that will build on what has already been available. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Remember when you could wipe out Act 3 bosses by just crouching your way to victory? Yeah… that's been patched. Some of the final fights now adapt to stealth more dynamically, forcing you to actually engage. The cheese was real. The animated dice visuals have been buggy forever, but most users simply looked over them in the way old-school gamers often worked around known issues in games. In any case, those have been cleaned up, making smoother animations with fewer stutters, transitions, and better compatibility when switching skins mid-campaign. Is that a stone left unturned? Larian is like, 'We got that too.' Before Patch 8, Halsin was like Sting in his prime against a mid-card wrestler—he was no-selling your finisher. Post-Patch 8, he reacts more authentically and in ways that match what you've done in the story. Before the patch, you might have handled the Shadow Curse in Act 2, and Halsin would've barely reacted. Post-patch Halsin is cutting a promo when you do something cool. What did I say about unturned stones? Patch 8 added minor but recognizable touches to the good boys. They have new animations, idle behaviors, and soft interactions during camp scenes. We talked about the additions to the epilogue, but there are some Easter eggs as well. One links back to a tomb side quest from Act 1. What did you do with that corpse and that journal? You know the one I'm talking about. If you did certain things (trying hard not to expose anything), you'll get a new haunting line of dialogue during the ending. I think I'm convinced—Patch 8, which feels like a deep love letter to a legion of fans—might be the best title update I've ever analyzed. For all the details of Patch 8, click here.
