• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke says no to studio buyouts

Fools idol

Fools idol

Banned
www.pcgamer.com

Flush with the Baldur's Gate 3 vibes, Larian CEO tells acquisitive corporations to take a hike: 'I'm getting older, but I'm certainly not done yet'

The company caught Microsoft's eye as a potential acquisition in 2021, but although Larian finds the attention "flattering," it's just not interested.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com

Brilliant.

Swen gives potential acquirers of Larian Studios the finger, says he isn't done making games yet, and that Larian turned down offers from Microsoft in 2021. *ahem*... Obsidian who?

"I'm getting older, but I'm certainly not done yet," the Larian CEO told Bloomberg, who worried that a monolithic corporate owner like Microsoft could end up limiting the studio creatively in the pursuit of profit. To be fair, Microsoft has been—by all accounts—relatively hands-off with its myriad acquired studios over the last couple of years (sometimes to their detriment), but I could definitely imagine a world in which BG3 isn't as wildly ambitious—or as replete with distinct genital tailoring options—because of a corporation's oversight.
Click to expand...
 
Thick Thighs Save Lives

Thick Thighs Save Lives

Gold Member
Donald Glover Reaction GIF
 
Lucifers Beard

Lucifers Beard

Member
Draugoth said:
They say that until MS shows up the 1 billion check.
Click to expand...
I’m not so sure. Swen definitely comes across as somebody who is absolutely passionate about his job and the hobby. I know that money obviously speaks for itself, but I’m going to (for once) believe that he’s actually a genuine dude who wants to make the games he wants with no bullshit from other stakeholders.
 
Wildebeest

Wildebeest

Member
GHG said:
Only clowns want good independent studios (who are thriving) like this to be bought out.
Click to expand...
A few hours of excitement as you get some big industry news to discuss in exchange for decades of disappointing releases, lay-offs, senior staff jumping ship, and eventual closure.
 
Last edited:
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
Wildebeest said:
A few hours of excitement as you get some big industry news to discuss in exchange for decades of disappointing releases, lay-offs, senior staff jumping ship, and eventual closure.
Click to expand...
I think you're looking at it the wrong way. None of this is about what any of us on this forum want. This is about what the modern landscape looks like. Here, we see that Tencent already beat everyone to it. A modern company trying to aggressively compete will have looked at this as well unless they want to just give up another Riot games without contest. That's just how the game is being played right now, regardless of what anyone here thinks. Looks like MS made them an offer which he said was "flattering." But in the end all the studio has to say is "no thanks" and that's the end of it.
 
D

damidu

Member
yeah probably why obsidian guys were sweating about this game not becoming a standard for rpgs.

they are probably
under constant pressure from ms to provide cheap gamepass fodder.
 
Roxkis_ii

Roxkis_ii

Member
Never had an interesting in DnD, but I might have to take a look at BG3. I want to support independent Devs like this.
 
Hudo

Hudo

Member
Lord Panda said:
And Ultima!

I had a good chat with Swen during the D:OS Kickstarter - U7 is one of his favourite games and one of his inspirations for D:OS. Super nice guy.
Click to expand...
This. If anything, I want Larian to try their hands on a proper Ultima game.

Edit: I mean, if EA Partners (or however that label is called) can bankroll shit like Immortals of Aveum, then surely, they can bankroll an Ultima game made by Larian.
 
Last edited:
vaibhavpisal

vaibhavpisal

Member
Hugare said:
Larian is what people expected from CDPR before becoming some shareholder's bitch

If they have good managers (and seems like they do) they wont sellout to shareholders and bloat the company in 200%

They are showing the industry how it's done. Love to see it.
Click to expand...

CDPR tried.

Team that's rebuilding CP2077 with Phantom Liberty is a new one.

Good thing Larian didn't try to chase GTA style game with BG3. They know their strengths.
 
Hugare

Hugare

Member
GHG said:
Arkane had infinite amounts of money and look at what we got.

Dr House Oops GIF
Click to expand...

The Office What GIF


vaibhavpisal said:
CDPR tried.

Team that's rebuilding CP2077 with Phantom Liberty is a new one.

Good thing Larian didn't try to chase GTA style game with BG3. They know their strengths.
Click to expand...
Tried in what way?

After TW 3 success they became too ambitious, sold even more of the company to shareholders and expanded like crazy

They are making a new TW game, Cyberpunk DLC, a new Cyberpunk game and a Witcher spin off or remake (can't remember)

It's like Larian after the BG 3 success saying "Ok, we will make BG 4 now, BG 1 and 2 remake, and also a new IP"

It's a recipee for disaster. And Larian seems to be much better managed than CDPR, even when TW 3 was getting made it was already pretty bad

There are reports saying that its a miracle that TW 3 came out the way it did, 'cause it was a mess few months before launch

Imagine now that the company is like 4x bigger
 
Last edited:
vaibhavpisal

vaibhavpisal

Member
Hugare said:
The Office What GIF



Tried in what way?

After TW 3 success they became too ambitious, sold even more of the company to shareholders and expanded like crazy

They are making a new TW game, Cyberpunk DLC, a new Cyberpunk game and a Witcher spin off or remake (can't remember)

It's like Larian after the BG 3 success saying "Ok, we will make BG 4 now, BG 1 and 2 remake, and also a new IP"

It's a recipee for disaster. And Larian seems to be much better managed than CDPR, even when TW 3 was getting made it was already pretty bad

There are reports saying that its a miracle that TW 3 came out the way it did, 'cause it was a mess few months before launch

Imagine now that the company is like 4x bigger
Click to expand...

Larian also expanded after DOS 2. It has offices in 6 countries now.

You cannot attribute that to games failure.

Only reason why CP2077 failed cause same Witcher 3 team worked on it that didn't had experience in building systems that were needed.
 
Gaelyon

Gaelyon

Gold Member
"We can do things in service of the games we’re making," said the CEO, rather than pursuing a project management style that prioritises efficiency and profit above all else"

As the main reason he don't want to be bought by a big publisher. Keep it that way Mr Vincke :messenger_beermugs:

By the way, it's the same things with Asobo studio, they have a good relationship with MS but won't sell to keep their own work culture and independance.
 
Last edited:
Thick Thighs Save Lives

Thick Thighs Save Lives

Gold Member
killatopak said:
To be honest I was one of those who thought that when MS bought Obsidian. Now, I’m kinda scared.
Click to expand...
I'd like to think that with Obsidian it was a bit different since they really struggled receiving funding for most of their projects while they were independent, so in that case it was either them getting bought by MS or the studio eventually running out of money and having to close doors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Larian founder Swen Vincke wants more studios to make CRPGs after Baldur's Gate 3's success
Game Dev 2
63
3K
adamsapple replied
Larian Studios Won't Make Baldur's Gate 3 DLC, Expansions, or Baldur's Gate 4
News 2 3
109
5K
Hudo replied
Swen Vincke interview: Larian Studio size sustainable for a good number of years, new games not going to "dwarf" BG3, and more
7
464
amigastar replied
'We don't have shareholders, but we also don't think about them' — Larian Studios speak out against a brutal industry climate on stage at DICE Awards
2
57
4K
ANDS replied
After Baldur's Gate 3's massive success, Larian wants the next game to be smaller
VR
44
4K
Complistic replied
Top Bottom