Following their massive success on Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios is moving on to new projects. While speaking at GDC, CEO Swen Vincke said that BG3 will “always have a warm spot in our hearts,” but they will not be continuing it. Everyone expects an expansion or a direct sequel to keep the story going, but future plans for the studio are to do something outside of the Dungeons & Dragons IP.
While Baldur’s Gate 4 will not be coming from Larian, that doesn’t mean it will never happen. Hasbro is the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, owner of Dungeons & Dragons, and while it has laid off many of the people who greenlighted the development of BG3, Hasbro game head Dan Ayoub has said that last year’s game of the year has proven people want more great D&D games. In recent years, most video games with the D&D brand on them have been pretty forgettable to say kindly.
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This news will likely be very disappointing for just about anyone who has enjoyed their time in Baldur’s Gate 3. Considering how long the series had been dormant, it does feel like it is leaving right after arriving at the party. The first two Baldur’s Gate games, made by Bioware, were released in 1998 and 2000, so it had been over 20 years since the series had been in much discussion.
As for what Larian Studios will be doing next, all Vincke said was “it’s time to get a new puppy.” Baldur’s Gate 3 was their first time working with the D&D brand, but they have a long history with the Divinity series, another fantasy series not connected to the tabletop brand. BG3 is a great game on its own, but it’s not a perfect translation of the tabletop adventures you can have with friends. It will be exciting to see if they stick with their fantasy roots and deliver yet another exciting RPG that captures the game industry.
