The DICE Awards 2024 ceremony was a night to remember, with Baldur’s Gate 3 emerging victorious in five categories, including the prestigious “Game of the Year” award. However, the celebration was marred by the disappointing news that the developers were not granted access to the post-event party.
Michael Douse, the head of the publishing division at Larian Studios, expressed his frustration, revealing that the organizers claimed the venue was at full capacity and there was no room for them. This treatment left the developer feeling disrespected.
“****** [damn] funny. I guess I should have thanked more shareholders. And my liver would like to thank the Academy [of Interactive Arts and Sciences],” – Michael Douse, head of the publishing division at Larian.
The snub towards the award-winning team may not have been solely due to space constraints. During their acceptance speeches, Michael Douse and production director David Walgrave candidly addressed the layoffs in the gaming industry and the impact of shareholders on the development process.
“We had a lot of time on stage, others weren’t so lucky. It’s a truly human industry, but sometimes we do a terrible job of showing developers what they’re worth… It’s especially obvious here, surrounded by all this wealth,” – Michael Douse, head of the publishing division at Larian;
“We ask you to pay only one price for the game, and you can own the game for the rest of your life. We don’t have shareholders, and we don’t think about them. In Dutch there’s an expression: ‘Honesty lasts the longest’ or something like that,” – David Walgrave, production chief at Larian.
This is not the first time the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 have faced unpleasant incidents while receiving awards. At The Game Awards 2023 ceremony in December, the RPG also clinched the “Game of the Year” title, but the head of the studio, Sven Vinke, was abruptly asked to conclude the acceptance speech, even mentioning a deceased colleague. These restrictions were a result of the organizers’ new award policy, which sparked criticism online.
Link from www.playground.ru