A few weeks prior to its launch, Baldur’s Gate 3 looks like one of the most promising RPGs in recent memory. However, some devs are urging players not to rate all other games in the genre by such a high standard, appealing to Larian Studios’ unique combination of vast experience and resources.
All this says is that large game studios don't see anything but money.
Game development should be about making the best product you can.
It isn't about getting paid 200 million for "development" costs.
Indies know this, and large game companies are A F R A I D.
So when someone makes a product that's good, and it threatens their model of minimal effort/maximum profit, they start making hitpieces like this.
Customers do not decide what games you make.
Quit game development if you think we set the bar.
Customers choose the best product for their time, and I'm sorry, if that's Baldur's Gate 3 tier standards, and you can't as an AAA studio with 10000 employees make as good of a product, that's on your lack of skill. Stop crying, git gud.
Yes, I know a lot of indie devs are also in this conversation, but their fears are also misplaced.
Indie devs already get a free pass on expectations, because more often than not, it's a team of <10 people.
So you don't hold them to the same standards as large game companies.