Summary

  • Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke explains that theories about bad blood between the developer and WOTC aren't true.
  • The decision to not develop more content for Baldur's Gate 3 was just the right call for the team.
  • The potential for Baldur's Gate 4 remains uncertain.

While the couple of dangling plot threads and provide even more adventures for Tav and their party. Unfortunately, that won't be the case, and while some future updates will include some much-requested features, a substantial add-on isn't happening.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Vincke explained that the theories suggesting Larian Studios wasn't developing more content for Baldur's Gate 3 because of bad blood between the developer and Dungeons & Dragons owner Wizards of the Coast were unfounded.

"On the contrary, they really did their best and have been a great licensor for us, letting us do our thing," he wrote, clarifying that the reason was that it was simply the right decision for Larian. Vincke has publically blasted publishers for greedy business practices, leading the community to speculate that he was specifically referring to Wizards and parent company Hasbro.

A surprised-looking Lae'zel from Baldur's Gate 3.
Related
Baldur's Gate 3 DLC, Expansions, & Sequel All Get Shocking Update From Larian

Developer Larian provides a surpridate on the future of Baldur’s Gate 3. Here’s what to expect regarding DLC, expansions, and sequels.

What Happened Between Wizards And Larian?

Minthara glaring at Gale who's in the middle of casting a spell in Baldur's Gate 3
Custom Image by Brad Lang

Despite Vincke offering an official explanation as to why Larian Studios is moving away from the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, the community is still convinced that Hasbro laying off nearly every member of the Wizards of the Coast team assigned to Baldur's Gate 3 contributed to the decision. The director confirmed that before the announcement the development team was working on DLC and had begun planning Baldur's Gate 4 before ultimately dropping both projects. Vincke explained that the team wasn't ionate enough about either prospect and was just going through the motions.

What this means for a potential Baldur's Gate 4 remains unknown. It's entirely possible that Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast will pitch the IP around to a different developer but neither company has confirmed whether or not this is the plan. In any case, the third game has had a major impact on the industry perhaps best evidenced by it taking home the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2023.

What Lies Ahead For Baldur's Gate 3?

Kagha, appointed as Second Druid of Emerald Grove in Baldur's Gate 3 Act 1.

While Baldur's Gate 3 may not receive any kind of DLC, Larian Studios continues to push out smaller updates to fix bugs and add quality-of-life features. When it comes to future content, modders will likely take the reigns and develop all manner of creations to keep the player base entertained for many more hours. Modding tools will soon be implemented for players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S but when these will arrive remains unknown.

Source: Swen Vincke/X

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Baldur's Gate 3
RPG
9.9/10
Released
August 3, 2023
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence

Developer(s)
Larian Studios
Publisher(s)
Larian Studios
Franchise
Baldur's Gate
Platform(s)
PC, macOS