The head of Baldur’s Gate 3 has stepped in to defend the creators of Highguard, arguing that every author is sensitive to damaging criticism. Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios, cautions against people who launch personal and unfounded attacks on any game or studio.

Whether people like it or not, Wildlight Entertainment and, naturally, their game are currently on everyone’s lips. The shooter, revealed as the final surprise of The Game Awards 2025, launched last Monday with close to 100,000 players, but it was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam. Now Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios and lead developer of Baldur’s Gate 3, has come to the defense of the team behind Highguard and reflected on how harmful criticism can become.

In several posts on X, Vincke admits that it is perfectly legitimate for a player to dislike a game and voice their personal opinion, pointing out what worked for them and what did not, yet he draws a clear line between critique and personal attacks. According to the Baldur’s Gate 3 developer, much of the discussion around Highguard has stopped being constructive and has instead turned into an exercise in contempt that can demotivate a studio and, beyond this specific project, damage almost any development team.

I don’t like people shitting on things others have created. Putting something out into the world makes you vulnerable, and that alone deserves respect, even if you dislike the creation. It’s easy to destroy things, it’s a lot harder to build them. The best critics understand…

— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) January 27, 2026

In fact, he did not focus on just one side of the equation, but on both. Vincke stated that these kinds of attitudes ultimately hurt players themselves. He explained that studios that genuinely listen to criticism and are affected by it are the most exposed in this hostile climate, while those that ignore community opinion will simply carry on unchanged. For this reason, he urges players, critics, and the media to think about the real impact their words can have.

“If the creative people who care most about their games quit because they can’t handle the hostility, we all lose,” he says. “Be kind to one another, be kind to those who create things to entertain you. Treat them the way you would want to be treated if you had created something yourself […] What I’m trying to say is that most creatives are sensitive, and that sensitivity makes them worry a lot,” the executive added.

Swen Vincke believes we all need to improve how review systems function.

But what solution does Vincke put forward? While many might interpret his words as an attempt to discredit criticism in general, or even to silence it, the Belgian developer’s idea is for players themselves to exercise greater control over reviews, both from the press and from other users. His vision of a healthier debate culture promotes steering negative feedback toward a more objective approach, without resorting to personal attacks just to gain visibility on social media, and introducing a system that allows reviews themselves to be rated.

“Sometimes I think it would be a good idea for reviews to be rated, Metacritic-style, based on how others evaluate them. I like to think it would encourage a bit more moderation,” the European executive stated. To back up this suggestion, he recalled how he himself has publicly criticized developers and publishers when they mistreated their players, something that, he explained, helped him better understand the need for mutual understanding.

In any case, Vincke’s words have not been well received by the entire community. While many appreciate that someone of his stature is speaking out in favor of moderation in reviews, others argue in the opposite direction, claiming that the backlash is rooted in Geoff Keighley’s perceived arrogant attitude. Still others point out that much of the frustration comes from a feeling of being silenced, despite repeatedly making it clear that they refuse to play titles they consider to be of low quality.

Meanwhile, Highguard continues to receive overwhelmingly negative reviews while simultaneously losing players day after day. The launch peak of 97,000 players is now a distant memory, as it barely reaches 7,339 concurrent users this morning.

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