In a heartfelt revelation, Baldur's Gate 3 director Swen Vincke takes to Twitter to share his complete Game Awards acceptance speech, expressing gratitude and dedicating the award to the game's development team.
Vincke's speech was not something we hear every day since it's more of a tribute to those who did not manage to see BG3 in the limelight.
Larian Studios Boss Gives Tribute to BG3 Community
Baldur's Gate 3 is 2023's best game and the recent game awards proved it true. For Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke, receiving recognition is just a part of the story of how the game was made.
According to Kotaku, Vincke expresses gratitude to Geoff Keighley and the Game Awards organizers for creating a platform that garners mainstream attention. While acknowledging the time constraints, he praises the Game Awards as an incredible achievement for the gaming industry.
If I won game of the year and was dedicating the award to a member of my team who had died during development and saw the words “Please wrap it up” I’d be fucking pissed #TheGameAwards pic.twitter.com/be0hLfmfT2
— Javiera Cordero 🇵🇸 (@javierabegazo) December 8, 2023
Wearing armor during the ceremony, Vincke symbolizes the importance of Baldur's Gate 3's player community. He highlights the game's existence, which owes much to the community's support, offering a rock-solid acknowledgment to the dedicated BG3 players.
"What I wanted to say at the Game Awards-winning Game of the Year is a great honor and I want to first thank everyone who voted for us and I want to congratulate all the other nominees. This has been an incredibly competitive year and you each would have deserved to win this award Capcom, Remedy Entertainment, Insomniac Games, and Nintendo," Vincke said.
More than that, the Belgian video game designer recognizes the crucial role played by the passionate and talented Larian Studios team. With over 2000 people in the credits, he spotlights teams often overlooked, such as QA, localization, customer support, operations, publishing, playtesters, and all other developers at Larian.
Related Article: The Unique Odyssey in Baldur's Gate 3: Romance, Bugs, and Speedruns
Dedication to Lost Loved Ones
The emotional speech turns poignant as Vincke dedicates the award to friends and family lost during development, including lead cinematic animator Jim and his father. The heartfelt acknowledgment highlights the importance of personal support in the creative process.
Moreover, Vincke expresses gratitude to specific individuals, a loyal dog and a one-eyed cat who stood by him throughout the journey. He extends appreciation to localization partners and Pit Stop Productions for their extraordinary efforts in recording many lines.
Thanking Wizards of the Coast Amidst Challenges
Besides his emotional tribute to developers and other people behind BG3 development who passed away, Vincke sends a special message to Wizards of the Coast and the DnD team. He was clear in his words that he had regrets over recent layoffs.
Furthermore, he commends their support and hopes for the well-being of those affected, acknowledging the unique collaboration that contributed to the highest-rated PS5 game of 2023.
Fueling Idealism in Game Development
The speech concludes with Vincke reflecting on the unique art form of games and the idealism that drives developers. He emphasizes the importance of the journey and creative passion over monetary gains, underlining the intrinsic value of game development.
He also closed the speech with a general "thank you" to all partners who contributed to BG3's success. He then casually announces that Baldur's Gate 3 is now available on Xbox, subtly blending business updates with heartfelt gratitude.
For Baldur's Gate 3 fans, Swen Vincke's Game Awards speech provides a glimpse into the genuine appreciation, emotional tributes, and unwavering commitment behind the creation of the game.
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