Baldur's Gate 3 vs. Starfield in the Gaming World
Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, two likely contenders for the Game of the Year award, have seen inevitable comparisons in the gaming world. Despite this, the developers of Baldur's Gate 3 will not accept unwarranted criticism of Bethesda's employees.
Triumphing as one of the year's biggest successes, Baldur's Gate 3 has become the second biggest PC game launch of the year 2023. The game has managed to secure itself a place as one of the most concurrently played games of all time on Steam. Conversely, despite a tepid initial reception, Starfield witnessed a massive launch, shattering records for Bethesda and Xbox. Although it soon began to enjoy its own success, it's clear that Starfield has been the more contested of the two games.
Challenging Unfair Criticism
However, developers want criticism to be constructive, not unfounded. Larian Studios' Director of Publishing, Michael Douse, stood up against former WoW developer Mark Kerns' scathing commentary directed at Starfield's creative team. Kerns compared review scores of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield on Twitter to spark a debate, insinuating a disparity between scores due to 'the lack of passion'.
Douse didn't hesitate to refute Kern's claims, labeling his statement a 'disingenuous oversimplification'. He retorted, 'It’s not true, or correct, to suggest that the average developer at Bethesda lacks passion.'
The Defense Continues
Even when other users tried to provoke him, Douse held his ground, saying there was 'no need for that either'. YouTube gaming commentator, Mischief, even praised Douse's defense of the Bethesda team as 'based'.
Larian's team, fresh from the successful launch of Baldur’s Gate 3, has garnered considerable praise, especially for their open and principled approach to game development. On the other hand, Bethesda’s team has shown that they are attentive to Starfield players' feedback on the game.
In conclusion, it's clear that the passionate responses and responsible behaviours exhibited by both game development teams showcase the significant respect and understanding within the gaming development community.