Baldur’s Gate 4 may happen eventually, but not with Larian Studios
(www.polygon.com)
from inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world to games@lemmy.world on 19 Jun 00:34
https://lemmy.world/post/31630529
from inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world to games@lemmy.world on 19 Jun 00:34
https://lemmy.world/post/31630529
It also seems as though plans for a sequel to Baldur’s Gate 3 are in the early stages already. Speaking to PC Gamer, Eugene Evans, the senior vice president of digital strategy and licensing for WotC and Hasbro, said the company has already started conversations about what the next Baldur’s Gate game will look like and how it’ll be made. “We’re now talking to lots of partners and being approached by a lot of partners who are embracing the challenge of, what does the future of the Baldur’s Gate franchise look like?” he said.
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This isn’t surprising. WotC had been salivating for another hit like BG3. I suspect whoever they talk into making BG4 isn’t going to be able to clear the bar that Larian has set.
“That’s great! Let’s give it to someone else!” - some stupid ass exec who can only see ahead one financial quarter at a time.
I thought Larian themselves didn’t want to make another one? Could be wrong though but it would make sense for them to use their surge in popularity to create something that they wholly own.
They don’t.
That’s why Hasbro can’t just make another BG game, Larian isn’t willing.
So now they’re looking to make it anyway. Without Larian, or even the people at Hasbro that Larian worked with.
That is so stupid it makes me mad.
WotC and Hasbro are truly the Dalton’s of tabletop gaming.
While I respect Larian’s right to turn down another time intensive game like Baldur’s Gate…I do worry about the same thing you are concerned about: A shitty executive that only cares about cash and not art! A love for art and appreciating great storytelling is what made Baldur’s Gate 3 the breakout hit. The AAA industry is too shortsighted to be capable of creating such a marvel like BG3, though they occasionally stumble into success without understanding why. They won’t let their teams cook and, it’s very likely, their creatives have either moved on to another studio or became a stress casualty (Bioware’s own term).
Larian probably wouldn't have turned it down if Hasbro hadn't fired pretty much everyone who worked with Larian on BG3. Sven Vincke (CEO of Larian) seems like the kind of guy who would take such an action personally, which is probably why he doesn't want to work with Hasbro again and rightfully so, fuck Hasbro.
His team was also burnt out after working on BG3 after such a long time, Sven respected the wishes of his team over the lure of making more money. It’s important to remember, Sven actually cares about the team he’s assembled over short term profit. Screw Hasbro any day of the week is such a mood, but, not an inciting incident that lead to Sven making his choice.
Larian pulled out of their contract after Hasbro fired everyone Larian worked with to make BG3.
It isn't a case of Hasbro going "hey we can trade up" This is Hasbro on damage control going "how the fuck do we follow that up"
Good.
I can’t stand Larian’s gameplay style.
Do tell.
What happened? Did they kick your dog or something?
That’s fair, but as someone that has not played the game, you need to provide some specifics otherwise it just gets lost within a lot of praise for the game (which I’m not sure I will like).
Someone got pwned during the tutorial.
I do, but I see that it’s a preference thing. However, the whole game/story felt to me like it was a passion project. I feel like it’s a gamble at best whether or not whoever hasbro finds to do it will be able to give it the same dedication.
With the success of BG3, Larian has a great opportunity to strengthen their own IP. Their Divinity games were great but had pretty nonsensical world-building (to this day, I still have no idea how DOS and DOS2 are related plotwise), and one of the great things about BG3 was the fusion of Larian game design with an appealing fantasy world. If Larian can build up a coherent setting of their own, their future would be bright.
They’re in the same world, but a thousand years apart or something, so there is no real connection.
Small references to the first game with books, maybe dialog a few times, nothing major.
I would be surprised if it was as good and big as bg3. I doubt they’ll give it to a small studio with a lot of heart, so it probably won’t be good.
Though I don’t know, maybe if they gave it to whatever’s left of obsidian it wouldn’t be the worst?
I’m fine with a different studio doing every Baldur’s Gate iteration. Bioware, Beamdog, Black Isle, and others have done Baldurs Gate games and I enjoyed them. I see no reason to tether the franchise to a single developer, particularly one whose heart isn’t in it anymore.
Article is from April 2025.
So two months ago?
And it wasn’t even news back then. Almost immediately after the BG3 release Swen Vincke talked about the next project being an in-house IP again. And not much later they quit working on a DLC.