Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Lead Emphasizes Optimism in Gaming Amid Highguard’s Launch Challenges: “Celebrating Failure is Too Easy”
Highguard, the latest free-to-play shooter from Wildlight Entertainment, has recently faced a wave of criticism, quickly accumulating “Mostly Negative” reviews on Steam. However, some fellow developers are stepping up to defend the game.
Swen Vincke, director of Baldur’s Gate 3, expressed his frustration with the negativity surrounding the game, stating, “I don’t like people s***ing on things.” He emphasized that while it’s easy to tear down, building something is far more challenging. This sentiment resonates with others in the industry, including Thomas Puha, communications director at Remedy Entertainment, known for titles like Alan Wake and Alan Wake 2. In a recent post, Puha voiced his annoyance at the constant headlines about Highguard’s player losses, suggesting that there’s a troubling trend of celebrating a game’s failures rather than focusing on constructive criticism.
Puha remarked, “Like, sure, you can argue that’s putting facts out there, but I can’t escape the feeling there’s just this ‘celebration’ of a game doing badly.” He called for developers to strive for a more positive outlook. His thoughts were echoed by Michael ‘Cromwelp’ Douse, publishing director for Baldur’s Gate 3, who recalled a moment at the DICE Summit where he struggled to connect with an audience that seemed lost on what direction to take in game development. Douse noted that while mistakes are part of the process, the people behind the games are also the reason for any successes.
He pointed out that it’s easy to revel in failure because it feels secure, but he hopes the industry can find a way to break the cycle of cynicism. Douse emphasized that game development thrives on optimism, contrasting it with the harsh realities of economics. He warned that if enthusiasm wanes alongside financial challenges, the situation could become dire.
On a more hopeful note, Wildlight has indicated that it is “listening to feedback and working to add some highly requested features” as it prepares for its first major patch. This could lead to a shift in player sentiment. Interestingly, when reviews for Highguard are filtered to show only those from players who have logged more than three hours, the rating improves from “Mostly Negative” to “Mostly Positive,” suggesting that there may be more to the game than initial impressions indicate.
