Baldur’s Gate 3 has been the biggest success story Larian Studios has seen to date, having enjoyed universal critical acclaim and impressive sales to match, but with its next steps, the developer is looking to head into uncharted territories. Larian founder and Baldur’s Gate 3 director Swen Vincke revealed last month that the studio’s next game wouldn’t be related to the Dungeons and Dragons IP, and the team has now provided further tidbits on where it’s headed next.
In a Steam post detailing upcoming content for Baldur’s Gate 3 – including modding tools, new evil endings, and more – Larian also touched on its future, revealing that it’s currently working on two new games, both of which are based on its own IP.
“Being given the chance to develop a game set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe has been a dream come true for all of us,” Larian wrote. “But as Swen 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. 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.”
After reiterating that it’ll be a while before we hear any concrete details on these new projects, Larian provided assurances that its next projects will still be built around the immersion and choice-based gameplay that its previous games have been known for.
“It’s still early days – we’ll tell you more about those later down the line,” the developer wrote. “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.
Founder Swen Vincke also chimed on, saying that based on the studio’s “narrative, visual, and gameplay plans”, the projects it currently has in the works “will be our best work ever.”
“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,” said Vincke. “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.”
It’s worth noting that the developer previously confirmed that its next game wouldn’t be Divinity: Original Sin 3. There’s a chance that one of the two projects currently in the works is a new Divinity game, but even if that is the case, based on what Larian has said in the past, it’ll likely be the one that’s further out.
As for what the future holds for Baldur’s Gate, Hasbro – parent company of Baldur’s Gate and Dungeons and Dragons IP owner Wizard of the Coast – recently said it’s “talking to lots of partners and being approached by a lot of partners” about the future of the franchise. Read more on that through here.
