The developer of one of my favorite 2020s RPGs does it because of BioWare: ‘Baldur’s Gate 1 is the first game I truly loved’
As part of PC Gamer’s ongoing coverage of BioWare’s closure, the outlet is interviewing RPG developers about the legendary studio’s influence on their careers. Anders Lauridsen, lead developer of “Skald: Against the Black Priory,” credits BioWare’s Baldur’s Gate 1 as transformative to his passion for the genre and his path into game development.
Lauridsen had played older CRPGs before Baldur’s Gate 1, but found them clunkier and difficult to engage with at his age. Baldur’s Gate 1 changed that perspective, becoming what he describes as “the first game I truly loved”—accessible yet deeply engaging enough to spark a lifelong passion for CRPGs.
The feature is part of a broader retrospective documenting BioWare’s legacy across the RPG development community. By collecting perspectives from contemporary developers who grew up playing BioWare’s foundational titles, PC Gamer is capturing how the studio’s work continues to inspire new generations of creators and shape modern CRPG development. Lauridsen’s work on “Skald: Against the Black Priory” exemplifies how spiritual successors keep the genre alive even as industry consolidation affects established studios.