The news that Baldur’s Gate 3 will not receive a sequel from the developer Larian disappointed several fans. Still, the studio is reportedly working on a new title, which will also be released in early access first.
In an interview with Game File, Larian’s head of publishing Michael Douse disclosed that Larian has something “cooking” for its fans in terms of the studio’s follow-up plan. Douse also revealed that it is going to be an early access one.
The development team used early access for their last three games (Divinity: Original Sin, Divinity: Original Sin 2, and Baldur’s Gate 3) and believes that the feedback from the community helps them a lot in “steering the ship,” determining the future of the title through the input received in the early access period.
Douse says that early access and community strength are the way to stand out in the modern-day gaming industry, which large, publicly held companies dominate. Larian reckons that having a large “social resonance” with the community proves vital in the longer run since it not only raises interest in a particular title but also builds a “strong gameplay” loop. Larian is optimistic about the early access route, and their next project will likely follow the same track.
Unfortunately, details regarding the anticipated title weren’t revealed, but Michael did express his opinions about the modern state of the gaming industry and how big of a mess it is currently in. He believes that Larian is in a state of “nimble and opportunity,” which puts the studio ahead in responding to various challenges in the development and execution process.
We’re really lean and nimble and opportunistic, and I think we like to work with new data daily. None of the s*** that we did in the publishing team was planned years in advance.
And I think that’s also true for the development team. If you asked us what Baldur’s Gate 3 would look like, how much it would cost and how it would feel three years ago, I wouldn’t know…We’re just nimble. Being nimble is key. Big companies are not nimble.
Now that Larian has separated itself from the Baldur Gate 3’s project and Wizards of the Coast, the company is focused on something entirely new. Could it be a brand-new franchise instead of a new entry in Divinity? Either way, fans will undoubtedly be very interested in anything coming out of Larian.
News Source: Kotaku
