Larian Studios Moves On From Baldur’s Gate 3

Farewell to Baldur’s Gate 3: Larian Studios’ New Horizons

Larian Studios has officially bid adieu to Baldur’s Gate 3 following the release of the game’s substantial eighth update in April. With their sights set on future endeavors, Larian’s CEO, Swen Vincke, shared insights in an interview with GameSpot about why they opted not to pursue paid DLC or a sequel for the acclaimed game, stating simply, “Because it was boring.”

Vincke initially broached the topic of DLC in September 2023, acknowledging the challenges but not ruling out the potential. Fast forward five months, and the studio announced that their journey with Baldur’s Gate 3 had reached its conclusion, with no intentions for additional content or a Baldur’s Gate 4. “We’re not a studio that’s going to make DLC or expansion packs,” Vincke explained, noting past unsuccessful attempts and emphasizing the team’s grander aspirations: “Life is short. We have big goals.”

In a subsequent interview, Vincke elaborated on this sentiment, remarking, “To be honest, it’s boring. We tried to get into the DLC business, we talked about it for BG3… but there was no passion. A happy player means a happy business, but for a happy player you need a happy developer. What we’re doing now makes our developers much happier.”

Vincke further critiqued the notion that DLC is almost an obligatory path. “Everyone says, ‘Big game, big success. Let’s do DLC, let the money come in.’ Initially, we nodded and said, ‘OK, we’ll do it.’ But after some reflection, we asked ourselves, ‘What are we doing?’ Sometimes you go down a wrong path and then you say, ‘No way,’ and you change course. That’s not a bad thing.”

Larian Studios’ approach remains distinctive in the gaming industry. While they could have capitalized financially on DLC, they chose instead to support Baldur’s Gate 3 with free, significant updates. This philosophy suggests a promising trajectory for their upcoming projects, driven by creativity and passion.

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