literally no one I know that loves BG3 played the first two
I'll admit I got in at Icewind Dale and never played the originals. But BG1 & 2 were hella-popular titles in their day. Put Bioware on the map up there with Blizzard. OG Baldur's Gate sold more than two million copies after its release, nearly matching the sales of Diablo.
But then Lucian put out Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2. DOS:2 sold 7 million copies, piggybacking on the Bioware formula for isometric turn-based adventure games. To say people weren't excited about the DOS guys doing a Baldur's Gate game would be equally insincere.
This was a match made in heaven. A studio that was clearly equipped to deliver a quality isometric turn based adventure game and a setting that was tailor made for that exact experience. The queerness was just icing on the cake. But even then, the "you didn't warn me there would be gender!" complaint is laughable, because D&D has been a queer game since the fucking 70s. The gender-bending druids, dopplegangers, and demigods, the items that change your gender, the various romantic and downright pornographic splats, and the multitude of fantastic romances go straight back to some of the original modules.
If you haven't noticed that D&D was gay, that Lucian was happy to explore gay themes, and that players were going to try to do this shit ad hoc regardless of the official story dynamic, that's entirely on your head.
I'll admit I got in at Icewind Dale and never played the originals. But BG1 & 2 were hella-popular titles in their day. Put Bioware on the map up there with Blizzard. OG Baldur's Gate sold more than two million copies after its release, nearly matching the sales of Diablo.
But then Lucian put out Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2. DOS:2 sold 7 million copies, piggybacking on the Bioware formula for isometric turn-based adventure games. To say people weren't excited about the DOS guys doing a Baldur's Gate game would be equally insincere.
This was a match made in heaven. A studio that was clearly equipped to deliver a quality isometric turn based adventure game and a setting that was tailor made for that exact experience. The queerness was just icing on the cake. But even then, the "you didn't warn me there would be gender!" complaint is laughable, because D&D has been a queer game since the fucking 70s. The gender-bending druids, dopplegangers, and demigods, the items that change your gender, the various romantic and downright pornographic splats, and the multitude of fantastic romances go straight back to some of the original modules.
If you haven't noticed that D&D was gay, that Lucian was happy to explore gay themes, and that players were going to try to do this shit ad hoc regardless of the official story dynamic, that's entirely on your head.
People were excited, don't get me wrong. But these two replies to my comment are case-in-point. Neither of you have played the first two.
Icewind Dale was a spin off of Baldur's Gate.