Larian Studios and its director, Swen Vincke, have become highly regarded in the gaming world following the resounding success of Baldur's Gate 3.  Vincke, during his 2024 TGA appearance, expressed his concerns about the industry's focus on market share and sales figures over game quality and innovation, urging developers to prioritize creating exceptional and groundbreaking experiences.

He recently reiterated his stance on social media, addressing concerns about the "commercial viability" of developing single-player games in today's market.  "Big single-player games are declared dead every year around this time," he wrote. "You should apply your imagination.  That's not true. They just need to be good."

Recent weeks have provided compelling evidence to support his claim.  Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 sold over a million copies within 24 hours of its release, while S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 achieved millions of sales in just a few months.

Vincke explained that his comments were prompted by hearing influential industry figures declare that large single-player games have "no future." "This discourages investment in big single-player games," he noted. "And it bothers me. Because I think they are wrong."

"The problem is that this kind of attitude has consequences. Because subtly, it becomes a mantra. So I am just trying to bring some balance.  I think great single-player games will continue to do great, as always. They just need to be good enough and innovative enough."

His words are likely to resonate even more strongly in the future. While the high development costs and potentially lower long-term revenue of large single-player games compared to successful live-service titles are undeniable, the recent high-profile failures of live-service games like Hyenas demonstrate that all game development carries inherent risks.  For some executives primarily focused on profits, games are merely products, and the live-service model appears more sustainable. However, truly memorable and brand-building experiences often come from exceptional single-player titles, and some companies recognize this. The anticipation surrounding highly awaited releases like Death Stranding 2 and GTA 6 underscores the continued significance and enduring appeal of single-player experiences in the gaming market.