Larian Studios has put the plans for Baldur's Gate 4 on hold. But Hasbro wants to continue working on the video game. What does that mean for you and the fans?
Baldur's Gate 4 – when will the new part of the popular D&D RPG be released?
It could have been so good: Larian Studios had been working on the new Baldur's Gate 4 for a long time and had been fine-tuning its further development. The game was even partially playable. Then came the upheaval. The development team suddenly decided against a release and shelved the plans.
- The plan was actually set. CEO Swen Vincke of Larian Studios worked intensively on the successor project to Baldur's Gate. But during the development process, the team realized that the new part did not meet the wishes and requirements of the fans.
- The development of the game progressed quickly. Some parts of Baldur's Gate, the video game based on the pen and paper role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, had already been completed piece by piece.
- At the same time, Larian Studios realized that the visions were not achievable. The team wanted to satisfy fans after Baldur's Gate 3 was very successful, and development would have taken several years.
- Larian Studios did not want to accept this and abandoned the plans. Much to Hasbro's displeasure. Eugene Evans, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy at Hasbro, is currently looking for new partners for Baldur's Gate 4.
- At the same time, Evans has ambitious ambitions. He wants to bring out the new part as soon as possible and not let decades pass before the new release. Nevertheless, Hasbro does not want to rush things and wants to find the right partners for the work.
- Evans has already announced that the characters from Baldur's Gate 3, which were very well received by fans, will definitely be coming back. It just remains to be seen whether this will happen in Baldur's Gate 4 or in other games.
What could happen next with Baldur's Gate 4?
The plans are becoming more concrete. Hasbro is ready to develop Baldur's Gate 4. Initial discussions and negotiations with potential cooperation partners are already underway. However, these are currently (as of September 2024) not yet complete.
- Hasbro knows that fans are eagerly awaiting the new Baldur's Gate game. However, the game manufacturer does not want to act too hastily. The quality should remain at the same level as the D&D RPG predecessors. It is therefore not yet known what the details of the new game might look like.
- Neil Newbon, who gave his appearance to the player character Astarion, would be happy to see new Baldur's Gate games. He could even imagine taking on the role in a film.
- It also remains unclear what the status is of the engine and the other development tools. These could be crucial and helpful for the development of the follow-up game. However, the rights are likely to still be held by Larian Studios. Hasbro would therefore have to take over the licensing and rights, but this should not be a problem.