(Almost) all the best selling so called RPGs are fairly streamlined, cinematic, action-adventureish fares when compared to what was going on throughout the "Golden Age" of New World Computing, Sir-Tech, SSI, Origin, later on Black Isle, Troika et all. Depending on your preferences, that may be a good thing. But there's been a significant shift in games development, as none of these games back then ever shipped enough numbers that would justify the investment of the big dogs (which naturally goes for modern games trying similar stuff all the same).
Dragon Age:Origins was arguably the last time Bioware tried to harken back to the "old days" some, it was meant to be BG updated for a newer audience (and even that is heavily streamlined when compared to BG et all, and still heavily ecplised in sales by other titles, which is why it was their last). Thus, the best BG3 could do is bridging that gap somewhat between the "new" and the "old", and show that different approaches, including tactical party based combat and pen&paper mechanics may not sell Witchere'sque hotcakes, but still be somewhat viable. The same goes for D&D games at least somewhat true to the source material, character options and rules. I mean, there's still obvious differences between BG1+2 and this. But it's already in the name "Baldur's Gate 3", innit.
And if BG3 doesn't do that, I don't care. The fallout of the kickstarter "renaissance" is still going strong in fairly high/er profile games such as Pathfinder, as well as interesting indies such as Broken Roards alike. Whilst I enjoyed the likes of Skyrim back then well enough despite the ever declining character systems in the TES series (played Daggerfall as my first), the dumb puzzles, rail-roaded dungeons and excessive hand-holding ruining most sense of discovery; and whilst I totally digged New Vegas (which is AAA RPG done right in my book, it's basically "oldschool" Fallout in 3d) -- I'd never have gotten as into RPGs again wouldn't it have been for that renaissance. In a sense, BG3 may have never happened without it too (I wasn't too fond of DOS -- but without it, BG3 would have never had a pitch success).
For a time I was hoping Bloodlines 2 to build similar bridges with its more popular FPS format, action combat and deep RPG mechanics as well as player agency (just as Bloodlines 1 had those), but alas, I think we can write that one off completely. (And Bloodlines 1 never sold huge numbers already too).
But then, New Vegas as a possible bridge builder also was quickly abandoned (a shimmer of hope for me)
in favor of Bethesda's subsequent Fallout games.
