Swen Vincke Is Still Embarrassed by the First Presentation of the Idea for Baldur's Gate 3. Wizards of the Coast Was Disappointed

As a seasoned gamer with years of gaming experience under my belt, I can’t help but admire the journey of Swen Vincke and his team at Larian Studios. The success story of Baldur’s Gate 3 is nothing short of remarkable, especially considering the initial hurdle they faced back in 2017.


The third installment in the Baldur’s Gate series thrived thanks to six years of tireless effort and unwavering passion that propelled Swen Vincke throughout the project. As the founder of Larian Studios, it was Vincke who dreamt up the concept of rekindling a ’90s classic, a task that proved more daunting than it initially seemed – after all, ownership rights to the brand were in the hands of Wizards of the Coast.

In a bold move, Vincke reached out to the publishing company, and they consented to a discussion. However, as Larian’s CEO shared with IGN, things didn’t proceed as hoped during that meeting.

Unlucky date

On September 14, 2017, an event took place. Wizards of the Coast had a meeting with Swen where they planned to discuss their new project for Baldur’s Gate. Interestingly, Divinity: Original Sin 2 from Larian Studios was also launched on that exact same day.

It’s not surprising that Vincke probably had trouble giving his full attention to the presentation, given what transpired at the unfortunate meeting. Regardless, Swen still feels ashamed about it.

Initially, our efforts fell short of their expectations. However, when they expressed their dissatisfaction, we acknowledged it and requested additional time to improve. Fortunately, they granted us the extra time.

— Swen Vincke for IGN

“Every game has its own language”

Looking back, we can see that the presentation turned out to be more successful, enabling Larian Studios to move forward with developing BG3. In 2020, the game was unveiled in early access, providing fans an opportunity to voice their opinions – and they certainly did! The feedback from players motivated the studio to make significant changes across various aspects such as the introduction, characters, and even the Dungeons & Dragons system.

This system, though it demands much time and understanding, proved to be extremely efficient. Nevertheless, Vincke remains uncertain whether he would select the same approach for future Larian Studios projects.

“[Early Access] offers numerous advantages, yet each title possesses its unique framework or idiom, leading me to believe that one should evaluate each game individually.”

— Swen Vincke for IGN

For over a year now, Baldur’s Gate 3 has been available, and soon it will get its seventh update, enriching the game’s conclusions and narrative even further. It remains to be seen what future projects from Swen might bring.

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2024-09-03 16:06