The huge success of Baldur’s Gate 3 is a strong indicator that a sequel is coming, but Larian Studios already made it clear that they wouldn’t make it. In fact, they were clear that they were leaving the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, leaving some uncertainty about the future of the popular RPG series. However, Hasbro, the owner of Wizards of the Coast and the D&D IP, has stated they are committed to making a sequel to Baldur’s Gate 3.
Eugene Evans, Senior VP of Digital Strategy and Licensing for Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, spoke to PC Gamer about the future of the series. In this interview, he announced that the company is actively looking for a new development partner to lead the next Baldur’s Gate project. Evans recognized that it might take time to find the right fit but assured fans that the wait for a sequel would be shorter than the 25-year gap between Baldur’s Gate 2 and 3. Hasbro doesn’t seem to have any plans to try to convince Larian to stay, but they’ve adapted quickly.
The fate of well-loved companion characters like Shadowheart and Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3 is on the publisher’s mind. Evans confirmed that these characters are now officially part of the D&D canon, owned by Wizards of the Coast. He hinted at the strong possibility of their return in future D&D products, perhaps even in a potential Baldur’s Gate sequel.
“I think it’s too early to express specifics and I think that there’s a much bigger question about how we approach Baldur’s Gate in the future. But I would like to think that all of those characters, for the sake of the fans, could potentially appear in future products.”
Eugene Evans
It’s hard to say right now whether they are in a sequel or spin-off. However, Hasbro acknowledges the impressive standard set by Larian Studios with Baldur’s Gate 3. Evans stated that the company intends to exceed those expectations with any upcoming parts of the series. If anything, the success of BG3 has shown them how much players want more Dungeons & Dragons.
“Those games will appear over the next five years, and they will cover all genres, all platforms. And I think there’s room within the D&D universe for many expressions of what D&D is all about.”
Eugene Evans
Hasbro has said that it’s investing in new D&D games and plans to release many D&D games in different styles and on different platforms over the next five years. The future of the Baldur’s Gate series is uncertain, but Hasbro seems to want to bring a new golden age to Dungeons & Dragons.
Comments