Obsidian's Josh Sawyer on RPG cities: 'Compared to a dungeon, generally speaking, a town is 4x the expense per square foot'

In a YouTube Q&A vlog, Obsidian studio design director Josh Sawyer said contemporary urban RPG settings are harder and more costly to make than other RPG environments, noting a town costs roughly 4x the expense per square foot compared to a dungeon. He cited Baldur's Gate 2's Athkatla, Disco Elysium, and Zero Parades as examples of believable, dense urban environments, adding that the latter two don't need as many believable combat encounters. He also referenced Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur's Gate 3's city as further evidence of the expense and challenge.