Baldur's Gate Larian is moving away from D&D, no BG3 DLC or BG4

[Chippy]

And I was really looking forward to where the game industry could progress culturally from bestiality...

 

[gaussgunner]

I think that Swen said in a interview that he don't wanan to become a forgotten realms studio and have his company depending on another's company IP.

Yeah, but in that case they need to finally create some good original IP. If they just go back to Divinity shit, they're going to fall off massively. Swen apparently has nostalgia for it, but let's be honest, this shit gotta be the blandest, most boring and uninspired setting ever. Whenever Divinity games did well, it was always in spite of the setting, it never helped. I'm pretty sure even among hardcore Larian fanboys, no one was ever like "Oh boy, I can't wait for another game in Divinity world!".

Agree. Divinity is just a generic Tolkienesque setting, like D&D but more generic.

 

[Rhobar121]

Swen has already made a name for himself, so at this point, whatever he releases will automatically sell.
CDPR did the same with Witcher 3 and Obisidian with New Vegas (and they completely wasted it)
Taking into account that he will not have to pay the brand owner, even lower total sales may bring a higher profit.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

Great news for people who hated BG3, but walking away from an established IP with ~40 years worth of lore behind it is a huge mistake in the long run, just as it was for Bioware when they passed on making KotOR II in favor of Jade Empire and what followed. "We'll make our own IPs with blackjack and hookers!" is pie in the sky for most companies especially when generic fantasy/ sci-fi IPs are a dime a dozen these days. Wasn't even possible to whore out Dragon Age enough to secure a permanent place in the pop-culture and that was during the post-LotR fantasy drought of the late oughts. GFL in current year.

 

[Rhobar121]

Great news for people who hated BG3, but walking away from an established IP with ~40 years worth of lore behind it is a huge mistake in the long run, just as it was for Bioware when they passed on making KotOR II in favor of Jade Empire and what followed. "We'll make our own IPs with blackjack and hookers!" is pie in the sky for most companies especially when generic fantasy/ sci-fi IPs are a dime a dozen these days. Wasn't even possible to whore out Dragon Age enough to secure a permanent place in the pop-culture and that was during the post-LotR fantasy drought of the late oughts. GFL in current year.

They already have an IP that they have been using for over 20 years and thanks to which they have become famous.
DOS2 sold better than probably all other CRPGs released at a similar time combined.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

They already have an IP that they have been using for over 20 years and thanks to which they have become famous.
DOS2 sold better than probably all other CRPGs released at a similar time combined.

I wouldn't say it was Divinity that made them famous, rather the brand-power of D&D and BG. With this choice they're either going back to being respectable developers in their niche, i.e. nobodies that make Divinity Games, or they're going to have to come up with an entirely new IP that has to be a banger from go because people will inevitably compare it to their last game.

 

[Beastro]

I think that Swen said in a interview that he don't wanan to become a forgotten realms studio and have his company depending on another's company IP.

Yeah, but in that case they need to finally create some good original IP. If they just go back to Divinity shit, they're going to fall off massively. Swen apparently has nostalgia for it, but let's be honest, this shit gotta be the blandest, most boring and uninspired setting ever. Whenever Divinity games did well, it was always in spite of the setting, it never helped. I'm pretty sure even among hardcore Larian fanboys, no one was ever like "Oh boy, I can't wait for another game in Divinity world!".

The setting and the bland vibe are the reason why I never bothered trying the series.

 

[Harthwain]

I wouldn't say it was Divinity that made them famous, rather the brand-power of D&D and BG. With this choice they're either going back to being respectable developers in their niche, i.e. nobodies that make Divinity Games, or they're going to have to come up with an entirely new IP that has to be a banger from go because people will inevitably compare it to their last game.

I think you underestimate how popular Larian and their games have became. Divinity: Original Sin 2 sold 7.5M (for comparison - Baldur's Gate 3 sold 10M). Not bad for "nobodies" without a widely known IP.

 

[taxalot]

View attachment 47917
Ultima X confirmed.

Legit thought this was the real Swen when I posted this.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

I wouldn't say it was Divinity that made them famous, rather the brand-power of D&D and BG. With this choice they're either going back to being respectable developers in their niche, i.e. nobodies that make Divinity Games, or they're going to have to come up with an entirely new IP that has to be a banger from go because people will inevitably compare it to their last game.

I think you underestimate how popular Larian and their games have became. Divinity: Original Sin 2 sold 7.5M (for comparison - Baldur's Gate 3 sold 10M). Not bad for "nobodies" without a widely known IP.

BG3 has already doubled whatever the actual sales numbers of DoS 2 are as of the end of March. If the plan is "back to Divinity" I see no sense in it. If the plan is to create something new, it's going to need to be at least on par with either of the two series in order for morale to be maintained.

 

[Harthwain]

If the plan is to create something new, it's going to need to be at least on par with either of the two series in order for morale to be maintained.

I think they have the capability to do so. The real question is what setting they want to use (as well as the execution of thereof), as this can make or break the appeal for a lot of people.

 

[Roguey]

Obisidian with New Vegas (and they completely wasted it)

That is not true. New Vegas just built up Bethesda's brand, not Obsidian's.

If the plan is to create something new, it's going to need to be at least on par with either of the two series in order for morale to be maintained.

Morale for whom? Swen claims morale at the studio was low when they were working on BG3 DLC and everyone was happy when he cancelled it.

 

[Black_Willow]

I think that Swen said in a interview that he don't wanan to become a forgotten realms studio and have his company depending on another's company IP.

Yeah, but in that case they need to finally create some good original IP. If they just go back to Divinity shit, they're going to fall off massively. Swen apparently has nostalgia for it, but let's be honest, this shit gotta be the blandest, most boring and uninspired setting ever. Whenever Divinity games did well, it was always in spite of the setting, it never helped. I'm pretty sure even among hardcore Larian fanboys, no one was ever like "Oh boy, I can't wait for another game in Divinity world!".

I can't wait for another game in Divinity world!

Seriously, It would be great to play Divinity 3 (not Original Sin!).

 

[taxalot]

People love the Divinity games but absolutely no one loves the world. Be serious.

 

[scytheavatar]

People love the Divinity games but absolutely no one loves the world. Be serious.

Basically the same as the Forgotten Realms then....... Sven understands better than most people, the idea of some amazing unique setting is overrated. The writing is what that matters more than the setting, and Larian has better writers now than they did in the past. It will be interesting to see what they can do to the Divinity setting.

 

[duskvile]

My guess is they'll do Vampire the Masquerade RPG.

 

[Frozen]

I expect child rape simulator.
We already had bestiality, that is a logical next step, isn't it Swen?
Those woke incompetent bitches you hire would make it like a light joke, isn't it funny you clown.

 

[Softgels]

I think that Swen said in a interview that he don't wanan to become a forgotten realms studio and have his company depending on another's company IP.

Yeah, but in that case they need to finally create some good original IP. If they just go back to Divinity shit, they're going to fall off massively. Swen apparently has nostalgia for it, but let's be honest, this shit gotta be the blandest, most boring and uninspired setting ever. Whenever Divinity games did well, it was always in spite of the setting, it never helped. I'm pretty sure even among hardcore Larian fanboys, no one was ever like "Oh boy, I can't wait for another game in Divinity world!".

I can't wait for another game in Divinity world!

Seriously, It would be great to play Divinity 3 (not Original Sin!).

Yes!, transforming into a dragon is fun.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

Morale for whom? Swen claims morale at the studio was low when they were working on BG3 DLC and everyone was happy when he cancelled it.

And how will their morale be when their next title performs nowhere near as well I wonder? Because that's what will likely happen. If whatever they do next is not on par with what came before, the only way around that is if they manage expectations of not just the company, but the fanbase well ahead of time. That only works for so long, for so many projects, eventually you need to prove that you still have "the magic".

I didn't say anything about continuing work on BG3, there's plenty more that could be done with just Forgotten Realms, nevermind all the other IPs that Wizards of the Coast owns. If they were smart, they'd be pitching to other big established IPs outside of Wizards as well.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

And how will their morale be when their next title performs nowhere near as well I wonder?

I'd say it would be just fine. I don't think there's anyone at Larian that wouldn't get why the game that has "Dungeons & Dragons" plastered all over it sold better than the one that didn't. Same thing goes with the name "Baldur's Gate" followed by a number over something that wasn't "Baldur's Gate" followed by a number.

 

[Roguey]

And how will their morale be when their next title performs nowhere near as well I wonder?

Fabulously pessimistic. Larian doesn't need D&D, much like how Bioware didn't need them when they did Mass Effect and Dragon Age. There's precedence for a company using D&D to grab a lot of attention and then doing their own thing with comparable/greater success.

I didn't say anything about continuing work on BG3, there's plenty more that could be done with just Forgotten Realms, nevermind all the other IPs that Wizards of the Coast owns. If they were smart, they'd be pitching to other big established IPs outside of Wizards as well.

They don't like the systems, they don't like sharing the money. Swen also mentioned that all the people who they worked with on BG3 are gone so I imagine they don't like the company either (even though Swen had to give that PR statement saying Wizards wasn't the reason they bounced)

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

Larian doesn't need D&D, much like how Bioware didn't need them when they did Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

And now they're dead.

 

[Roguey]

Larian doesn't need D&D, much like how Bioware didn't need them when they did Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

And now they're dead.

Nothing lasts forever. Swen's 51 years old. He doesnt have to worry about keeping this company afloat for more than two decades.

 

[Rhobar121]

Larian doesn't need D&D, much like how Bioware didn't need them when they did Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

And now they're dead.

As if it had anything to do with DnD and not the stupidity of the management who did everything to kill the studio. The fact that they failed to do so to this day shows that they are too stupid even for that.
Bioware would be doing quite well if they didn't try to follow exactly every trend that was popular without having the slightest idea what they were doing.
It would have ended the same even if they hadn't abandoned DnD.

 

[scytheavatar]

Morale for whom? Swen claims morale at the studio was low when they were working on BG3 DLC and everyone was happy when he cancelled it.

And how will their morale be when their next title performs nowhere near as well I wonder? Because that's what will likely happen.

BG3 is big enough of a success that even selling half as much as it did is still blockbuster numbers for a CRPG...... I doubt Larian devs will cry much at the idea of their next game selling 10 million copies. Larian is also currently in the same status as CDPR post Witcher 3 among normies and you are setting yourself up to be disappointed if you expect their next game to not sell gang busters.