Baldur’s Gate 3 is now available on Xbox Series platforms, but don’t expect the game to make its way to Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service anytime soon.
In a recent interview with IGN, Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke confirmed the company has no plans to release its award-winning title on Game Pass, citing the game’s sheer scope as a factor for this decision.
“We made a big game, so I think there’s a fair price to be paid for that, and I think that that is okay,” Vincke said. “We don’t charge you any micro-transactions on top of it, so you get what you pay for. Upfront, it’s a big meaty game. So I think that should be able to exist as it is. This is what allows us to continue making other games.”
With the average Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough running for at least 50 hours (according to player data aggregated by HowLongToBeat) Vincke definitely has a point there. My own run took me 107 hours, and I ignored a whole bunch of side quests and points of interest in Act 3.
Larian doesn’t seem inclined to give up Xbox’s market potential for a Game Pass deal with Microsoft, and given the game’s overwhelming success, it’s no wonder.
Still, Xbox fans might find it disappointing that the studio is dismissing the possibility altogether. Vincke, who recently released his full Game of the Year acceptance speech, certainly isn’t mincing words when he talks about knowing what their game is really worth.
While Baldur’s Gate 3 took home multiple trophies at The Game Awards and has received a lot of acclaim, it’s easy to see how some might still be wary of spending $70 if they’re not not an initiate of the CRPG genre or Dungeons & Dragons itself.
A Game Pass demo might have gone a long way toward alleviating those fears. But as of now, Larian has no plans for one.
