Summary
After the surprising announcement that Larian Studios would be moving on from theBaldur’s Gatefranchise, studio CEO Swen Vincke stated that the new direction was not the decision of Wizards of the Coast. Although Wizards of the Coast holds the licensing forBaldur’s Gate 3, Vincke has been quick to dispel rumors that the Hasbro-owned company is the reason why the studio is moving on from the IP.
In a year filled with stiff competition and major releases,Baldur’s Gate 3proved to be one of the biggest hits of 2023. Since its launch, the game has received praise from many critics and fans, even winning the coveted title of Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2023. One of the biggest draws of the game is just how intricate and replayable it is. Even after hours of playing, there arenew things to discover inBaldur’s Gate 3that keep players coming back for more. From the character creation to the overall story, Larian Studios clearly put care into the game’s development, and that’s what made recent news of the studio stepping away fromBaldur’s Gateso shocking.
Theannouncement from Larian Studiosthat it would not be pursuing moreD&Drelated games or working on expansions forBaldur’s Gate 3made some fans speculate that Wizards of the Coast had something to do with the decision, since the company owns the licensing forD&D. However, Swen Vincke quickly put an end to these rumors with an official statement.
Larian Studios CEO Puts WOTC Rumors To Rest
Vincke addressed concerned fans via Twitter, insisting that Wizards of the Coast had no say in the new direction Larian Studios is planning to take. In fact, Vincke made it clear that Wizards of the Coast had been a great partner to work with throughout the development ofBaldur’s Gate 3. The statement from Vincke clarified that moving on to new projects is simply what he believes is the best move for the future of Larian Studios. Although the game probably won’t be getting expansions or sequels, there are still plans to bringexpanded ending cinematics toBaldur’s Gate 3in the future.
The past week has seen a lot ofnews regarding Larian Studios, and although it may be disappointing for manyBaldur’s Gate 3fans to hear that there are no upcoming sequels planned, whatever the studio chooses to do next will at least be handled with care and passion. Larian Studios has proven itself to be an incredibly strong developer, and its future projects will be exciting to see.
