Larian doesn't want Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Game Pass

Larian believes Baldur's Gate 3 isn't a great fit for subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass.

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Xbox Game Pass is a great fit for some games, but others...not so much. The subscription has its purpose for both developers and Microsoft, including buffering Xbox service value, offering massive discoverability to games, and of course the potentially high upfront payouts and even bonuses if gamers play a bunch of hours.

There's also downsides. Game Pass "cannibalizes" game sales, meaning that games offered on the service can potentially sell fewer copies because they're being included as part of the subscription. The market dynamics of Xbox Game Pass have been discussed--although not expressly documented in data form--by Microsoft both publicly and in sworn testimony during the FTC v Microsoft trial in June.

Baldur's Gate 3 is the type of game that shouldn't be on Game Pass--at least that's what Larian seems to think. There's great reasons for that, including potentially lower copies sold across Xbox and PC. BG3 doesn't have monetization so it relies entirely on game sales in order to make revenue, so it's critical that Larian, an independent studio that's using a licensed franchise, is able to sell as many copies of the game as possible.

In a recent interview with IGN, Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke talked about how Baldur's Gate 3 was never meant to go on Xbox Game Pass:

"Oh, we always said from the get-go that it wasn't going to be on Game Pass, it's not going to be on Game Pass. These are sensitive questions.

"So look, we are in the business of making a game that has a beginning, middle, and an end. 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. We don't charge you any microtransactions 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."