As I see it, it's a confluence of things which have captured the zeitgeist:
- Larian D:OS games have been very well received.
- Baldur's Gate and the Infinity Engine games are beloved.
- Final Fantasy XVI, the big JRPG for the year, is squarely an action game and some view that as off-kilter. Baldur's Gate 3, the big CRPG for the year, is squarely an RPG.
- D&D is a big property and new D&D games often gain a fair bit of attention.
- People seem to appreciate having no in-game purchases.
These five things, in my opinion, have pushed Baldur's Gate 3 to the front of media outlets and, in turn, to the forefront of conversations.