Baldur's Gate 3's Swen Vincke Says Larian's Games Won't Appear on a Subscription Service

17.01.2024 - 13:03 / ign.com / Swen Vincke

With the debate around the future of video game subscriptions heating up, one high-profile developer has come out strongly on the side of the traditional method of selling games.

Multiple subscription services have emerged in recent years, with the likes of Microsoft Game Pass, Sony’s PlayStation Plus, and Nintendo’s Nintendo Switch Online all providing access to a library of games for a monthly fee. But the potential dominance of subscription services from just a handful of companies has sparked concern about video game ownership, visibility, and preservation.

The thorny issue of video game subscription services was once again thrust into the headlines this week after an executive at Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft said gamers would need to get “comfortable” not owning their games before video game subscriptions truly take off.

It’s fair to say those comments did not go down well with those who prefer to buy their video games on-disc as opposed to downloading or streaming them. Now, Swen Vincke, boss of Baldur’s Gate 3 maker Larian Studios, responded to offer a developer’s view in a series of tweets that came down hard against a potential future in which subscription services are the dominant model.

“Whatever the future of games looks like, content will always be king,” Vincke began. “But it’s going to be a lot harder to get good content if subscription becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide what goes to market and what not. Direct from developer to players is the way.”

He continued: “Getting a board to okay a project fueled by idealism is almost impossible and idealism needs room to exist, even if it can lead to disaster. Subscription models will always end up being cost/benefit analysis exercises intended to maximize profit.”

Whatever the future of games looks like, content will always be king. But it’s going to be a lot harder to get good content if subscription becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide what goes to market and what not. Direct from developer to players is the way. https://t.co/wEUvd5adt0

“There is nothing wrong with that but it may not become a monopoly of subscription services," Vincke continued. "We are already all dependent on a select group of digital distribution platforms and discoverability is brutal. Should those platforms all switch to subscription, it’ll become savage.”

“In such a world by definition the preference of the subscription service will determine what games get made. Trust me — you really don’t want that.

“You won’t find our games on a subscription service even if I respect that for many developers it presents an opportunity to make their game. I don’t have an issue with that. I just want to make sure the other ecosystem doesn’t