LARIAN STUDIOS REFUSES TO JOIN SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Larian Studios, known for their acclaimed RPGs such as Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2, has made a decisive stance against video game subscription services. Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios, has publicly announced the company's decision to not feature their games on platforms like Xbox Game Pass or Ubisoft+. This response comes after Ubisoft suggested gamers adapt to not owning games due to the rise of subscription services.

Vincke emphasizes the importance of maintaining a direct relationship between developers and players, fearing that the consolidation of games under a few subscription services could undermine developer autonomy and influence the variety of games being made. Though Vincke acknowledges the benefits subscription services offer to some developers, he intends to preserve the traditional ecosystem where players can own games outright. This commitment to not participating in subscription services reflects the studio's success and confidence in their titles, as Baldur's Gate 3 has been a winner at both the Game Awards 2023 and the Steam Awards 2023.

Larian Studios believes that subscription services can limit developer autonomy and narrow the diversity of games produced. They value the direct-to-player ecosystem and do not want it to suffer from the rise of subscription-based gaming models. Therefore, they prefer to maintain the traditional model of game ownership, which they find valuable both for their business and the gaming community at large.

Background Information: Larian Studios is a Belgian video game developer founded in 1996. They are best known for the Divinity series and more recently for developing Baldur’s Gate III, which is a revival of the classic Baldur's Gate series originally developed by BioWare. The studio has been praised for its approach to RPG design, emphasizing player choice and deep interactive narratives. Baldur's Gate III was one of the most anticipated RPG releases and has received critical acclaim for its deep mechanics, immersive storytelling, and modernized gameplay that remains true to the spirit of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise.