This is a really good interview. tl;dw is…
- their next game was going to be D&D, but they changed course and are doing something else now
- Vincke has a vision for “the one RPG to rule them all”, and each of their past three RPGs is a step closer to it
- the next game is not going to be that master vision but one step closer toward it, with their previous 3 RPGs proving out emergent design/multiplayer, story and consequence, and personal stories/performance capture, respectively
- Vincke would like to have this next game done in 3 years compared to BG3’s 6 year development cycle, but realistically expects 4 years, as long as there isn’t something like COVID-19 or a war in Ukraine to impede their progress
Yeah Wizards of the Coast isn’t the same company as when they signed the deal for BG3.
Smart of them to ditch the sinking ship that is D&D.
Sinking ship or not, word was that Wizards’ cut of BG3 was over $90M. $100M was the entire production cost of Baldur’s Gate 3. If you could fund an entire other massive video game for the cost of what you paid your partner for licensing, I’m sure anyone would be rethinking that deal. At this point, they don’t need the D&D license any more than BioWare needed the Star Wars license after KOTOR.
Thanks for expanding on my point.
They don’t need to be associated with WotC as they keep fucking up. Other RPG systems are becoming more and more popular.
Maybe they can partner with Paizo and make the next Pathfinder game, although I’d feel bad for Owlcat because their games have been great too.
For similar reasons as D&D, I doubt they’d license someone else’s system either, but I could be wrong.
True, the Divinity games were plenty of fun with their own system
Games Workshop whores their IP out to almost anyone, and despite being crappy about their mini stuff, they seem rather fair for electronic games.
Because they know this is the only part of their business left. Which works for them.
I’m out of the loop, what has wotc been fucking up?
Hasbro pulled a bunch of typical big corp enshitification tactics with their licensing and digital assets over the last couple of years.
They do ~6B a year and clear about a billion, so that’s actually like 10% of their profit which is a lot for a company that big – wow!
any more than BioWare needed the Star Wars license after KOTOR.
Glances at Starfield
Maybe not your strongest point
Bioware didn’t make Starfield - that was Bethesda. Maybe you were thinking of Anthem? And fair point there.
I was talking about how the lack of Star Wars license didn’t stop Mass Effect from being even more successful than KOTOR, yes.
I really like the way that he thinks, with each game being a way to learn new systems / implement new tools / increase the studio’s knowledge and skill. Such a great way to take on projects - it ensures that each game brings something new to the table, and it puts you in an even better position to tackle the next project.
My only request for the next game is: please don’t have it start with the player imprisoned on a ship and for the ship to be attacked by monsters so the player can use the chance to escape into a deadly situation only to be rescued at the last second by an unknown powerful being before waking up on a beach. Twice is enough, thanks.
What if you’re imprisoned on a cart and attacked by a dragon? Or just released from prison on a boat and dropped off in a swampy beach town? The fantasy RPG genre requires starting as a convict or prisoner, you see.
I disagree, and now think Larian should start every game like this. Next Divinity? Pirate ship. Games Workshop has them make a game? Escape from a Citadel.
Every Tad says “ah shit, here we go again…”
They could turn that into a running theme, like how every Elder Scrolls protagonist is a prisoner to start with…
But Divinity already has a long history and so does Baldur’s Gate so…ehh, doesn’t fit in quite as well. Maybe with a new IP they make it a tradition for.
Every Tad says “ah shit, here we go again…”
It’s canonically always the same Tav repeatedly getting dragged into these weird “save the world” situations.
Are we just playing high fantasy Quantum Leap?
As long as my journey starts on a beach, I don’t care what came before.
Something Bigger Is Coming
Baldur’s Gate 5?
Larian Dating Sim 2025
Nah, theyve secretly acquired yandere simulator
The search for Baldur’s Gate 4.
Builders Gate: the Flamethrower!
(The kids really like this one)
They could get on with BG3 = DOS3 thing and just go ahead with Divinity: Original Sin 4 for their next title.
How It Feels To Chew 5 Gum, The Experience.
Baldur’s Gate 360
Baldur’s Fence
I’m, like, oof? History repeating itself much?
There was this little RPG company, BioWare, that made this little known game called… uh… Baldur’s Gate or something. Then they made Baldur’s Gate II. And all was fine. And then they said “you know what, we should do something really cool and innovative and creative!” …And they did! They made Neverwinter Nights. And Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro was a real drag in the process, wanting them so many compliance meetings regarding the content and canon and game mechanics. So Bioware was like “OK this is the absolute last time we work with this kind of nitpickers, we’ll create our own fantasy RPG setting and system.” …and that’s how Dragon Age came about.
WotC/Hasbro isn’t any easier to work with these days, that’s for sure. Except this time, even the tabletop fans know that.
Hopefully Larian gets to eventually make the epicest dream game they can and, uh, not get bought out by EA or something.
Whether they get bought out is up to the owner(s) right? If they refuse, then that’s that.
I think Larian is already partly owned by someone (Tencent?) so EA is unlikely
Yes, despite what Larian wants you to believe, 30% of the company was sold to Tencent years ago to raise more money for BG3. Afaik Danny O’Dwyer dug that up from the irish business register because Larian never even made a statement about it. Instead they keep pointing out how privately owned they are and that there is nothing to worry about.
BG3 was a massive success, but I wonder how much of that cake is left after 450 employees, Bioware, WotC and Tencent got their pieces of that. If they really want to release a much bigger game in half the time, they’ll need to tripple their employees which will absolutely explode spendings. They have nothing else in the works until then, no mobile game cash cow or big merch sales to keep them afloat. The only way to generate more money when production costs will inevitably exceed expectations is… to sell more of themselves.
Next one ditches all the filler and just goes straight to shagging a series of elves, demons, were-bears, cthulhus, etc. One after another, there are so many cthulhus to shag and you are the chosen one.
Divinity 2 mechanics > BG3 even though BG3 is obviously the ultimate masterpiece. Pumped to see what they do
If we are taking about battle mechanics I hope they come up with a new system all together. I think both the OS2 and BG3/DnD mechanics were serviceable, and it was fun to play out fights. But neither was much of a challenge and fights didn’t often feel like unique puzzles.
Yeah – I just mean their ability to make a system for video games is better than paper adaptation
I enjoyed BG3 more than any game since Witcher: Wild Hunt. Do you think Divinity 2 would be for me? I am looking for a new long play game.
Absolutely.
Thank you. I will check it out.
yes
Yes. I personally prefer the combat of Divinity 2, but overall they are very, very similar games
I’m not sure I agree. DoS2 mechanic are cool, but the combat becomes way to chaotic for my liking. Also you do one mistake and now half your party is dead and the other half is on fire.
That was exactly what I loved about DoS2
That’s fair. To each their own.
Half life 3?
It’ll be legally distinct Double Quarter Life 3
Please PLEASE fix the inventory mechanics/design
warhammer pls
Praying for a new Kotor
No. I love the KOTOR games and hate Larian’s turn-based combat gameplay.
Pathfinder please!
How about Rifts TTRPG as a computer game?
Fantasy ✅ Sci Fi✅ Many different life forms to bang✅
Heh has there ever been a palladium rpg system in a video game? Really I’m curious, I loved their IPs (ahhh Robotech) and some neat ideas that weren’t other IPs but the system left a lot to be desired. To be fair I never played much of them but recall reading rifts, superhero one and Robotech game books back in the 90s a lot.
I don’t think there has, I only played a few times but it always seemed like such a rich story and setting for adventures. A world magically ripped apart by the billions of lives extinguished instantly in nuclear fire. Dimensional Beings crossing into the world, from dragons to vampires to leyline walkers.
I hope their “one RPG to rule them all” will be a Divinity game!
I’m hoping for Sci-Fi and the next Mass Effect.
Have they ever done Sci-Fi? Also now that they are well known in the mainstream it would make a lot of sense to make another game using their own IP, would it not?
I wonder if Larian does something new with the Disco Elysium folks (since in that PMG video they were mentioned) instead of more Divinity.
It’s icewind dale or arcanum
More Arcanum would be very welcome.
I think I would cry tears of joy if we got another Arcanum
Really I just miss games that are intensely and deeply “written”…Like Arcanum, Morrowind, or Disco Elysium. I want a game that is actually several books encased in game software. BG3 is close, but I want something even denser. I’ll be so gratified if Larian is on the same page.
I know what you mean. Disco was such a treat in that respect yeah. I love those kinds of literary games, where you can feel an author reaching out across the medium and actually trying to communicate something to you. Like there is a message in the game other than just supporting gameplay or engagement.
