Larian have two new games in the works, "fueled by the very same fire" as Baldur's Gate 3
"I get excited like a kid watching the key imagery," says Swen Vincke
Larian aren’t just not making Baldur’s Gate 4 – they’re treating Baldur’s Gate 3’s success as an opportunity to develop their own intellectual properties, with two new games in the works. These games will build on the “sensibilities” of Baldur’s Gate 3 in being “immersive experiences shaped by your choices”, but by the sounds of things, they won’t be adaptations of anybody else's narrative or setting. Divinity: Original Sin 3? It’s the obvious call, but come now, free your mind. How about a kart racing game, Larian, or a banging old school mascot platformer? When are you going to make a platform game, Larian?
All that’s from a Steam blog detailing a forthcoming Baldur’s Gate 3’s patch 7, which “will add improved evil endings to the game for even darker conclusions to your most sinister playthroughs, and yes, that includes you non-Durge players.” There’s some teaser footage in the Steam post which I won’t share, and a slice of new and diabolical epilogue music composed by Borislav Slavov, which I will.
Patch 7 isn’t just about wallowing in your own malevolence. It’s also about fixing bugs, “including Jaheira’s unwillingness to follow the group and jump into combat, Wyll’s less-than-romantic greetings, as well as the mysteriously disappearing Narrator lines from the Gortash and Dark Urge confrontation, to name a few”.
It’ll introduce the first of the new modding tools, as well. Given the scale of the additions, Larian plan to trial the patch with a select group of players on PC – watch out for details of the closed beta in the coming weeks. Beyond patch 7, Larian are working on crossplay and a photo mode, together with more bug fixes, performance enhancements and stability improvements.
That’s it for the patch stuff. Now, let’s talk about those new games. “Being given the chance to develop a game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe has been a dream come true for all of us,” the post continues. “But as [CEO Swen Vincke] recently confirmed, we won't be introducing any major new narrative content to the story of Baldur's Gate 3 or its origin characters and companions, nor will we be making expansions or Baldur’s Gate 4.
“As an independent studio since 1996, we value the freedom to follow our creativity wherever it leads,” it goes on. “In this case, after six years in the Forgotten Realms and much discussion and rumination, we’ve decided to seize this opportunity to develop our own IPs. We’re currently working on two new projects and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future has in store.
“It’s still early days - we’ll tell you more about those later down the line. But know that even as our focus turns to these new games, the sensibilities that brought you Baldur’s Gate 3 are alive and well here at the Larian castle. We’re fueled by the very same fire in our bellies, one that drives us to create immersive experiences shaped by your choices, and we can’t wait for you to join us on this next adventure.”
The post concludes with an excited Vincke quote – I picture him bellowing these words into a fizzing tilted webcam while in the background, lab-coated sorcerors perform some kind of arcane ritual to restrain one of those unseen New Games. “I don’t know if we’re going to pull it off, but looking at our narrative, visual and gameplay plans, I think what we’re working on now will be our best work ever,” Vincke writes. “I get excited like a kid watching the key imagery, want to show it to everyone now and grumble in frustration at having to wait until it’s actually all working. Yes, it’s hype but it’s hype because it really looks and feels good.”
If you'd rather play another Baldur's Gate than whatever the hell Vincke is talking about, I have good tidings - Hasbro are trying to find somebody else to make Baldur's Gate 4.
Disclosure: Former RPS deputy editor Adam Smith (RPS in peace) now works at Larian and is the lead writer for Baldur's Gate 3. Former contributor Emily Gera also works on it.