Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield, both serving as undeniable Game of the Year contenders, have drawn comparisons between the two. Regardless, the development team for Baldur’s Gate 3 will not tolerate unjust criticism towards Bethesda’s team.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has achieved remarkable success by becoming the second biggest PC launch of 2023. In addition, it now holds the title as one of the most concurrently played games of all time on Steam.
Even with a moderate reception at first, Starfield has also had an enormous launch, breaking record sales for Bethesda and Xbox. Albeit it has enjoyed its own success, Starfield has been more precinct of controversy compared to the two games.
Everyone Is Open To Criticism
While neither game is immune to criticism, the developers desire just critiques. Michael Douse, Larian Studios’ Director of Publishing, addressed former WoW developer Mark Kerns for his harsh comments against Starfield’s creative team.
Kerns drew comparisons between review scores for Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield on Twitter. Kerns indicated that the disparity in scores was due to 'the difference that passion makes'. Douse, however, did not agree with this, calling out Kerns and labelling his statement as a 'disingenuous oversimplification'. He responded stating, 'It’s not true, or right, [to] suggest that the average developer at Bethesda lacks passion'.
Respect And Fairness In The Game Industry
Known for his kind-heartedness, Douse also tried to defend Kerns against any backlash. He pointed out that Kerns and he share similar views on the AAA industry. He emphasised that it’s a leadership issue and should not be associated with the hardworking development teams who pour their heart into their projects. When other users encouraged him to 'own the clown', Douse called for coolness, repeating that there was 'no need for that either'.
Commenters like YouTuber Mischief have praised Douse’s defense of the committed Bethesda team.
Larian’s team has received a lot of positive sentiment following the release of Baldur’s Gate 3. The game's loyal community have praised their transparency and their attitude towards development.
Similarly, Bethesda’s development team has shown their willingness to listen to Starfield players and their desires for the game. Fans of Starfield have gathered around Douse to defend the game.