Much to the disappointment and despair ofBaldur’s Gate 3fans everywhere,Larian Studios’ CEO Swen Vincke announced during a talk at GDC that not only will the studionot be making Baldur’s Gate 4, but it has evencancelled an expansionto 2023’s unexpected breakout cRPG hit and Game of the Year winner. While a different studio might take on the gargantuan task of following up on the game’s medium-changing success, Larian will be moving on to something else. It’s unclear right now if that’s going to be a thirdDivinitygame or something else entirely.
I was surprised that reading this news didn’t upset me even a bit. WhileI’ve dreamt about what Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC could look like,I’m glad Larian isn’t making it, especially since it seemsthe studio doesn’t really want to. And while I’m sure a Larian-made Baldur’s Gate 4 would have been amazing, Baldur’s Gate 3 already had such a monumental impact on the industry’s understanding of what video games could look like that it would be hard to live up to fan expectations for yet another genre-shaking revelation of a game.
Larian itself was filling some big shoes developing Baldur’s Gate 3, as the last two were critical darlings helmed by the iconic and beloved BioWare.
It’s important to remember that Baldur’s Gate 3 propelled Larian to levels of fame that nobody could have predicted. Vincke himself said thatthe studio was just hoping to recoup development costs, and had no idea the game would be such a runaway success. While it was known for its prowess in cRPG development because of the Divinity series, the reputation it has now is incomparable to its status before Baldur’s Gate 3’s release.
In fact,while Hasbro may claimthat Baldur’s Gate 3’s success shows that people want more “great” Dungeons & Dragons games, I’d propose that the opposite is true: the video game actually introduced more people to D&D than it drew from that demographic. It’s true that the IP opened doors for the studio, but now the doors are fully ajar. The game stands on its own merits, and people aren’t crediting the D&D system, they’re crediting Larian. There is no better time than now for Larian to work on something new.
The fact is that working with IP owned by an outside entity can be difficult. In many ways, it necessarily and inherently limits creative freedom. A studio may have to work within canon, get approval from the owners of the IP, and have to operate entirely within constraints imposed on it. It has to work with or against preconceived notions of what can and can’t happen within this setting. It can innovate and iterate, of course – Larian has proved that many times over – but there are rules to follow.
Separating with IP means that Larian can now capitalise on its newfound, extravagant levels of influence to create something new and unique to it. If it doesn’t have to follow someone else’s rules, it can take the skills it developed and the systems it’s now widely beloved for to create something entirely new instead of trying to surpass the standard it’s set in the Baldur’s Gate series. There is no better time than now for Larian to move on, and I am so glad it made that choice. Whatever comes next, players have faith in Larian to make something incredible.
Baldur’s Gate 3
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Baldur’s Gate 3 is the long-awaited next chapter in the Dungeons & Dragons-based series of RPGs. Developed by Divinity creator Larian Studios, it puts you in the middle of a mind flayer invasion of Faerûn, over a century after the events of its predecessor.
