I don't think you have pinpointed where BG3 value really is. It clearly isn't in its simplicity since Larian have made simple CRPG with moderate success for a while now. I am pretty sure that BG3 would have been as popular if they used the Divinity rule set.
I have to disagree, the same story told via the Divinity world would have been well received, no doubt but the use of the name recognition for DnD and BG sent it to new levels. Without 5E and that name recognition the game would not have been nearly as financially successful or had as deep of market penetration.
Originally Posted by snowram
In the past years, if you wanted to play a RPG, you had to choose between a game with good production value but shallow depth or the contrary. The true game changing argument this game has is that it simply has both.
I do not disagree, BTW in this case "production value" means looks pretty. However I am not sure with BG3 we did get both. We got high production value for sure but a deep game? BG3 resparked my passion for CRPGs. It had waned some over the years, I am sad to say. But BG3 got me going again full tilt. I am right now 100 hours into Kingmaker, on a first run through. I feel like Kingmaker is MUCH deeper than I found BG3. That is not a ditz on BG3, but Kingmaker makes me feel more like I am involved in a grand table top campaign. It lacks the polish, there is no doubt but I find the NPCs more interesting and engaging and story line more cohesive and compelling. This is AFTER 4000 hours of BG3. So saying BG3 has both depth and polish to me seems incorrect. Again not saying it is bad, I mean like I said over 400 hours and still playing it.
Originally Posted by snowram
Also the WoW argument doesn't apply for a single player game. MMO games are meant to be relevant for the longest amount of time. What companies who tried to make a WoW killer failed to realize is that players were already deeply invested into it. Why take the risk to play a clone when you have already spent years into your character? Sinking cost fallacy is a hell of a drug.
You actually just made my argument for me. Your correct the mistake they made was to try and repeat a formula to draw away a player base that was well invested. A solo play game means you do not need to draw away an audience and so cloning the basis of the success makes PERFECT sense.
