Single-Player Games Are Not "Dead," Says Swen Vincke

As major gaming companies are passionate about investing resources in developing multiplayer games — Apex Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, you name them —single-player games seem to be receiving much fewer spotlights. Are single-player games dead? Discussions about this topic appear every now and then and have recently started again.

While the discussion is going on and unlikely to have a quick firm answer anytime soon, Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios and director of the beloved Baldur's Gate 3, has recently made clear his stance on the matter in a post on X. He puts it straightforwardly: "They're not. They just have to be good." 

In the comment section, he added the reason why this thought has been shared: "Hearing chatter about important industry figures stating there is no future for (big) single player games. Which means discouraging investment in (big) single player games." This actually bothered him, so he decided to give some counterweight. Besides being good, he also thinks a great sing-player game needs another key factor for success —"innovate enough." 

Larian Studios, as well as Swen Vincke's own names, often come along with the great success of Baldur's Gate 3, which has garnered numerous Game of the Year awards and sold over 15 million copies by last November. Although enjoying such success, unfortunately, the game would not receive DLCs or expansions, as Vincke confirmed during last year's GDC. The studio has now shifted its focus to a new game, which is still in its early stages, and they promise to share more after the "media blackout" period when the time is ready.

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