# The great RPG debate: Do RPGs really need romanceable companions?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-great-rpg-debate-do-rpgs-really-need-romanceable-companions/
- Published: 2026-08-01T16:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-26T04:07:22+00:00
- Original publisher: PC Gamer
- Original article: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-great-rpg-debate-do-rpgs-really-need-romanceable-companions/
- Topics: Gaming

## Key points

- Romance should serve the story, not merely meet player expectations.
- Baldur’s Gate 3 is praised for deeper, less formulaic relationships.
- The writers disagree on whether RPGs need romance.

## Summary

PC Gamer debates whether romanceable companions are truly necessary in role-playing games, arguing that the feature has become an expected convention rather than an automatic benefit. Fraser Brown says romances matter when they deepen characters and stories, but routine implementations can feel like a formulaic player reward and make RPGs less distinctive.

The article credits BioWare, beginning with Baldur’s Gate 2, with establishing the modern companion-romance model, citing Dragon Age and Mass Effect as influential examples. It contrasts their often predictable structure with Baldur’s Gate 3, whose relationships are more varied and integrated into character arcs, while noting concerns about wish fulfilment and universally available romances; colleague Harvey Randall counters that romance is a valuable way to explore intimacy, trust and power.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.