While RPGs as a genre have been reasonably popular (definitely not as popular as shooters, MOBAs, or sport games, to mention a few) the story-driven cRPG, both in its TB and RtWP variants, has always been a niche genre. Until BG3, that is. The numbers don't lie.
Games like Elder Scrolls, Assassin's Creed or The Witcher did great, but that's not the type of game we're talking about here, I personally barely consider those to be RPGs myself, and that's not the type of game PoE3 would be.
Baldur's Gate and Bioware games generally are not considered story-driven games.
They are combat games with constant interactions with companions. The story is the same as in most regular cRPGs, perfunctory and just enough to get the job done.
The concept of a story driven RPG is a relatively new concept, primarily designed to add a layer of protection from criticism to an otherwise disinteresting game. Rubbish loot, rubbish encounters, full of bugs, terrible UI, barebones classes, lightweight mechanical systems, none of that matters if some can just say "Awesome story tho" and then add a few reactive paths.
And then even try to proclaim such a game as the one true masterpiece, because who can argue with subjective enjoyment on narrative?
But not all text is story.
Companion interaction isn't story. Lore isn't story. Waffling NPCs aren't usually story. Story is why you are doing what you are doing and the extent to which this is present everywhere you go.
The whole reason RPGs tend to be lite on story, even when they are heavy on text, is because one of the biggest things people like is random exploration, something that's at the core of original table-top.
Random exploration and tight story telling are pretty much the exact opposite of each other.