“Maybe now is a good time…”
A deal of this magnitude is sure to make waves in the gaming world: A whopping $55 billion is on the table to privatize publisher Electronic Arts. But while investors and economic experts are watching the negotiations with bated breath, one of the most important figures in the current role-playing scene is also weighing in. Swen Vincke, director of Baldur’s Gate 3 and head of Larian Studios, responded on the X platform with a clear reminder of the past: “Perhaps now is a good time to remember that making games faster and cheaper and charging more for them has never worked.”
His message struck a chord. In recent decades, countless attempts to combine quality and creativity with radical cost reductions have failed. Vincke later removed some passages from his statement, presumably to tone down the direct reference to the EA deal. But the core of his statement remains unambiguous – and shows how threatened many developers feel by large acquisitions and their consequences.
The community is also reading between the lines. Unrest is spreading in forums and comment sections. Players are wondering whether the acquisition is the next chapter in a development that will ultimately be paid for by the workforce and the fans.
“The only ones paying are the employees”
It is still unclear what impact the billion-dollar purchase will actually have. But the industry knows the typical consequences: layoffs, studio closures, and the abrupt end of promising projects. One user is already warning: “It’s exhausting to see people in leadership positions make the same mistake over and over again, and the only ones who pay for these decisions are the employees below them.”
Probably a good time to remind people that making games faster and cheaper while charging more has never worked before.
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) October 2, 2025
Other voices highlight the transformation of the entire industry. One observer believes that younger players are placing less and less value on in-depth story experiences. Instead, the focus is on quick online thrills. Others point to the influence of Fortnite, which has unwittingly set standards that hardly anyone else can achieve.
In this light, Vinckes’ comment seems like a warning signal. While his own studio impressively demonstrated with Baldur’s Gate 3 that complex role-playing games still thrill millions, the industry is threatening to jeopardize the long-term value of games by chasing short-term returns. Whether the $55 billion deal with EA heralds a new chapter – or simply further proof of Vinckes’ words “That has never worked” – remains to be seen.
