Having had a few days to sit with the news that Larian Studios, creators of 2023's breakout RPG, Baldur's Gate 3, has scrapped plans for DLC and will not be developing the inevitable next game in the series, we can't help but feel the move was a deeply-baller one. Going out on the highest possible note, outdoing even BioWare's iconic earlier entries, it's time to move on for Larian, and we'll gladly follow. Parent company Hasbro, however, wasted no time, threatening still-in-shock audiences that more D&D games are on the way: "Watch this space."
Following the interview with IGN in which Larian director Swen Vincke revealed the studio would leave the series behind, Hasbro provided a statement to the outlet, thanking the developer for its hard work, work that netted Hasbro some $90 million for little effort (then fired most of the team responsible): "Larian has been an incredible partner, and together we are proud of the success of Baldur's Gate 3. Watch this space for more on some awesome D&D games we are bringing to life through Hasbro's studios and our network of licensing partners."
The tale of how Larian acquired the Baldur's Gate IP from Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, is fascinating enough, but suffice it to say the developer spent many years chasing that dream. Selling more than 10 million copies across all platforms, this massive success will no doubt allow Larian to pursue its creative ambitions without splitting the proceeds. Previously, the Belgian developer said it would return to its excellent Divinity: Original Sin series, and even more recently, the studio is already hard at work on its next game.