It's not easy to follow up one of the best RPGs ever made with a worthy sequel. When it comes to developing Baldur's Gate 4, also the co-director of Baldur's Gate 2James Ohlen, know that the easiest path to take is this: you don't. In an interview with PCGamer, Ohlen revealed that he was offered a chance to do BG4, but called the idea “madness”. Being tapped to produce Baldur's Gate 4 seems like a major breakthrough for almost any video game developer, but the reality is that a task this daunting is more likely to deter top talent than attract it.
It is not because there is no appetite Baldur's Gate 4 among players, because that couldn't be further from the truth. A sequel to a game with as many awards as Baldur's Gate 3 would sell like crazy, not to mention the massive and devoted fanbase that continues to play the game to this day. The problem is logistical. When you're trying to improve a game that so thoroughly realizes the fantasy of “virtual role-playing” to a degree never before achieved, the odds of making a better game aren't really in your favor. In fact, you are more than likely doomed to make a smaller product by default.
Even former Baldur's Gate developers won't touch Baldur's Gate 4
There are several reasons why a former Baldur's Gate the director is not interested in building on Larian's work. Ohlen cited the monumental task of creating a game engine from scratch (BG3 uses Larian's internal engine) as one of the many obstacles to completing such a project. Yet the real problem is that Larian was simply the perfect studio to do Baldur's Gate 3and they absolutely crushed it. “Sween [Vincke]will always be the master at building that kind of thing.” Ohlen said, “It's really hard to take him off that throne, just because of everything — the tools, institutional knowledge, the team.” It's kind of like someone asking you to play basketball better than Michael Jordan. It's nice of them to ask, but you're probably not going to make it.
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However, the problem goes deeper than Ohlen's trepidation. Baldur's Gate 3 is frankly a masterpiece. It accomplishes things with its branching story that RPG developers have been chasing for decades: massive narrative shifts from a single decision, NPCs that react organically to your character's race and appearance, and distinct outcomes and party members depending on your moral alignment. These aren't things that game developers have been able to do for years and simply choose not to; Larian broke the mold here. Pointing at another developer and saying, “Do the same thing, but better,” is an exercise in futility. There isn't a studio out there, regardless of pedigree, that could make that happen without a lot of luck going in their favor.
The real problem is that Larian was simply the perfect studio to do Baldur's Gate 3and they absolutely crushed it.
Even if a team could pull it off, they would be looking at diminishing returns. As good as it gets Baldur's Gate 4 is, it will always be compared to its generation's successors, down to the last detail. That's exactly what players do; we compare games with each other. Any perceived failure of Baldur's Gate 4 will be pointed to as evidence that Larian's absence resulted in a lesser game, while any improvements will be brushed off as built on top of what Larian already established. There is no profit for the new developers if they don't another generation RPG. That's where the bar is set, and that's a lot of pressure to put on a team delving into a new franchise for the first time.
Then there is the complexity of the sequel itself. With a game that branches its narrative as significantly as Baldur's Gate 3 makes it feel impossible to even get started. You can choose one of BG3's many end variations and explains it canon. Or you separate it from previous entries entirely, making a sequel in a new setting and starring new characters, all of whom completely ignore the events of the previous game so as not to trample on any gameplay. At that point, unless you pick up the previous games, and you've traveled far from the titular city of Baldur's Gate, you're not really making a Baldur's Gate the game longer.
Although not tied to its predecessors, Baldur's Gate 3 still made connections to previous games in the franchise through companions like Jaheira and Minsc (yes, and Boo), for example. There are callbacks to beloved quests from previous entries, and of course there's the city of Baldur's Gate itself, which encompasses the whole Baldur's Gate 3's third act. A game that rejects all these connections but still calls itself “Baldur's Gate 4″ will give the impression that it is just to make money off a name.
There is a reason why Larian wants to move on
It's also worth noting that Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke has stated, very firmly, that his team is moving away from Baldur's Gate franchise. He cited several reasons, including burnout, lack of creative freedom, and developing a sequel being the “easiest” and “obvious” thing to do. However, it is a little more than that. Larian has somewhat publicly had his problems with Hasbro, the owner of DnD IP, as when Vincke lamented the layoffs that took place at Wizards of the Coast, which saw most DnD team that helped Larian conceptualize Baldur's Gate 3 drop. It's a philosophical clash that led Larian to return to his internal IP.
As good as it gets Baldur's Gate 4 is, it will always be compared to its generation's successors, down to the last detail.
The developer is instead working on a follow-up of Divinity: Original Sin 2right now just the title Divinity. It also has a second, unannounced project in the works. While this frees Larian from having to work within Hasbro's DnD IP restrictions, it also allows the studio to return to a universe it has gradually expanded and iterated on since 2002 Divine divinity. Vincke said, “I don't think we as developers have ever felt better since we made that decision.”
The move also makes sense for Larian from a practical lens. Having established itself to such an extreme degree, the studio had its pick of the litter. Whatever IP they chose to work with next, Swen and his team were guaranteed the green light. The thing is, you only get carte blanche before that goodwill starts to fade (just ask CD Projekt Red). Larian is unlikely to want to burn that opportunity by trying to compete with the legacy of its own generation of RPGs, or by trying to recapture lightning in a bottle. Instead, they are smart to use their newly built platform to show that their team can create masterful RPGs in any world, DnD-connected or not.
Some fans are undoubtedly disappointed with this decision, and rightfully so. Baldur's Gate 3 is an all-time great video game, but it's also very personal. Between solo and co-op campaigns, people have built lasting friendships, told incredible stories, and maybe even learned about themselves while playing. It is not easy to let go of the dream that more of the same experiences may come their way. But we can be honest here. There is no world there Baldur's Gate 4 lives up to the legacy of Baldur's Gate 3 and the sky-high expectations for its sequel. No matter which developer takes on the project, they are more than likely setting themselves up for failure. Better then, to simply let a once-in-a-generation game stand alone, and to wait for the next great RPG that dares to challenge its place at the top of the genre.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
