I don't recall what the discussion was about, but the first post didn't age well. No-brand Pillars vastly outsold Wasteland 2 and newTorment, which is one of the biggest and most respectable names out there, not to mention Cook and Numenera backup hype:
Pillars - 1,202,413 ± 34,061, players 81% players
Wasteland 2 - 759,818 ± 27,088, players 39%, which is a very low %
TToN - 158,232 ± 12,369, players 74%, got a free weekend deal to boost sales which didn't result in any miracles.
Darkest Dungeon, as no-name as it gets, sold 1,730,190 ± 40,837 with 94%(!!!) players, blowing all 3 out of the water. Banner Saga 2 didn't live up to the original success, selling half as much and with only 46% players.
I remember the discussion, and in retrospect, I think both sides need to give ground.
From what I remember, you claimed that hardcore CRPGs just don't sell well, because their market is niche and people don't like "difficult" or "punishing" mechanics. Yet, we have had several examples of hardcore CRPGs that
have sold, even without name recognition. Darkest Dungeon is such an example - from what I remember, only 1% of its players even finished the game. Another, more recent example is Kingdom Come, which succeeded despite punishing mechanics and a terrible save system, though it isn't turn-based, so I guess you can use the old argument that it's a first person 3D CRPG and therefore automatically more mainstream.
I claimed that the problem was not with the difficulty or the hardcore mechanics, but the lack of name recognition - hardcore CRPGs don't sell because creating new franchises without substantial marketing $$$ is difficult. Torment is an obvious counter example, though you should admit the original Planescape: Torment was
also a niche game, and the poor initial word of mouth hurt the new Torment significantly. Still, I think recent CRPG events have shown that independent studios can still create wildly successful franchises - relatively speaking, since we're ignoring the AAA market - by hitting the right design notes and running an effective word of mouth campaign. Presentation, as mentioned above, might be key - not so much as having AAA graphics or an user friendly interface, but in creating a cohesive vision that marries the different aspects of visual, audio, and conceptual design to generate an unique and compelling style.
In retrospect, the success of the first Banner Saga might have been due to the same factors, and the same could be argued for other independent successes like Bastion and Cuphead. Of course, sequels don't sell nearly as well for the obvious reason that, from an experiential perspective, it's fresh only the first time.
I guess the lesson is that, should you want to develop a commercially successful hardcore CRPG, you should aim for an original vision with bold aesthetics... Or, failing that, ride on the historical nostalgia of a mainstream game like Baldur's Gate, instead of a niche title like Planescape: Torment.