Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, known for creating Baldur’s Gate 3, has made a surprising confession. He has stated that he does not want to revisit a key inspiration for his work, the classic RPG Ultima 7. Despite holding the game in high regard, Vincke is concerned that replaying it in the modern era would damage his cherished memories. It’s probably something we all have faced.
Vincke openly admitted to PC Gamer that Ultima 7 has had a big impact on Larian’s game design. He says that the game’s focus on exploration, freedom, and emergent gameplay still influences how Larian creates games today. This influence is especially clear in Baldur’s Gate 3, which aimed to bring back its predecessor’s dynamic, open feel.
Vincke also said that as Ultima 7 aged, some problems became worse due to comparison. For example, he says the fighting system was not very good. Many people feel the same when they play old games; things that used to be okay are not okay now.
“… I’ve played old games before that I thought I was still going to love… I don’t want to do it again, because I’m pretty sure it will have not aged very well… I don’t want to destroy that feeling, my memory of it is very fond,”
Swen Vincke
Vincke is facing a dilemma we all have (if you’re old enough). He has immense admiration for Ultima 7’s ambition and the significant impact it had on him. However, he is concerned that playing it again in the modern era might emphasize its flaws rather than its merits. Vincke would rather hold on to his fond memories of the game than take the chance of being disappointed.
This is the smartest way anyone could go about their nostalgia. So many people say that games shouldn’t be remade or remastered because they’re “still good” when the truth is that they’ve aged. Remakes and remasters are good for the industry.
One great example is Final Fantasy 7. The game was fun, and the story was still top-tier, but there were so many old gaming tropes that it felt inaccessible to new players. It also looked awful by today’s standards. Remaking it only made more players see how great the game is, and new features could be added that couldn’t be before.
Vincke’s connection to Ultima 7 still lingers. He aims to pay homage to the classic by infusing its essence into Larian’s current projects.
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