I cannot believe I'm expressing the opinion that explicit bestiality or paedophilia is not fine in a videogame and there's people pushing back because it's 'just a joke'. Consenting adult? Give me a break. People enjoying consensual sex between adults is exactly NOT who this caters to, this should be patently obvious.
I am not offended, I am appalled, it made my stomach turn and I'm very sad this is going to be something people associate with the name Baldur's Gate. Larian absolutely doesn't deserve you bending over backwards for them on this.
The thing is it isn't about catering nor is it trying to, it is about telling a mature richly expansive unrestrained story for the purpose of adventuring, having fun and bringing Faerun to life, which happens to be simultaneously uplifting and horrific, serious and lighthearted. It is about richly portraying what life in Faerun is like and not what life in Faerun should be like according to sensitive Internet people who clearly don't know the world nor lore. It makes the world feel alive and immersive by having such a wide range of choices.
Are you aware that you can slaughter innocent children in this game and that your character can be roleplayed as an immoral monster without any remorse that actually enjoys it while doing so? According to your logic, this is catering to people fantasizing about sadistic acts upon children. But that ain't true... the truth is so much simpler; it is just a story trying to portray the wide variety of life in Faerun as much as possible by covering as many bases as possible to make it as believable as possible.
Don't want to witness appalling things? Then simply don't make bad choices leading to appalling things and leave the real-world moral pretense out of it. That simple. This ain't a fairytale, but it also ain't a horror show either. It is a mature fantasy world where actions produce reactions and everything can go good or bad. It will be what you make it be.
