BG3 in the AAA space has been the biggest incline since like three to four generations of hardware. Not that that's saying much. Only Immersive Sims have been more harshly treated in the AAA space than RPGs -- and even they had Arkane still doing a couple decent games. The (very few) remaining RPG AAA studios meanwhile have been all about abandoning core (C)RPG values in favor of ever more action. Not talking quality, but in terms of mechanics and gameplay, a game like the Witcher is barely distinguishable anymore from pretty much any Ubisoft Open World action adventure game.
As a consequence, ever since the crowdfunding and indie revolution started in the early 2010s, there's been a massive rift. Here are the Fallout-, BG- and Wizardry-Likes -- and here are those new blockbusters meant and focus group tested to appeal to people who would have never touched an RPG before.
BG3 bridges that gap some. It's got the cinematic action modern day blockbusters are stuffed with (and yeah, the childish level-me-up-and-bang-me sex also, another decline started with Bioware). But it's also got a more cerebral approach instead of all-out action combat, it's not afraid of dialogue and choice -- and it's rooted in tabletop gaming as opposed to Hollywood blockbusting despite its tricks in cinematic presentation of everything.
Whether that will be a good or bad thing, who knows.
