Larian Studios' next game is sure to be one of the most anticipated ever following the breakout hit of Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3. What that game is remains to be seen, but Larian boss Swen Vincke has indicated he’s already worked out its Act 1 narrative.
In a series of tweets, Vincke said that after four months of writing work, he’d “finally figured out what Act 1 on this thing I've been working on needs to be.” “Quote me when it's revealed to see how much of today's draft survives,” he added. “I suspect a lot.”
There’s not a lot to go on here, of course. And, indeed, it may not go anywhere. But given Vincke mentions Act 1, we can assume what’s next will probably be an RPG in the Larian style, which are games broken up into three distinct acts. I suppose it could always be a three-act dating sim. I mean, that’s basically what Baldur’s Gate 3 is, right?
Vincke went on to say he has yet to share Act 1 with anyone, so he may end up scrapping the lot if no-one likes it. “But I think I really like this one,” he said.
Then, a few inevitable qualifiers: “Also, it's not what you think and this is not a teaser for an announcement. Just am genuinely excited about where this is going and wanted to share some of my excitement. It'll be quite some time before we talk about this.”
This isn’t the first time Vincke has teased Larian’s next game. In November 2023, Vincke spoke in vague terms about the studio’s next project. “I wish I could tell you about our next big game but this is really encouraging us to ensure it pushes many boundaries,” Vincke teased in response to Baldur’s Gate 3’s many The Game Awards nominations. “I’m very excited about it.”
In July 2023, ahead of Baldur’s Gate 3’s explosive launch, Vincke told IGN a sequel to Larian’s own Divinity: Original Sin series is on the cards too, although fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
“It's our own universe we built, so we're definitely gonna get back there at some point,” Vincke said. “We will get back there at some point. We'll first finish [Baldur's Gate 3], and then take a break, because we will need to refresh ourselves creatively also. You’re seeing 400 developers putting their heart and souls into this. You’re getting the best of them and their craft into this game. And so I can tell you, it's quite a thing.”
If Divinity isn’t next, perhaps a brand new game set in a completely different universe? Larian has created fantasy RPGs for some time now. Could it branch out into science fiction? Or a modern day setting? Or maybe even try a new genre?
Meanwhile, Larian has yet to announce any Baldur's Gate 3 expansions or DLCs. Given how well the game has done, you'd expect something expanding upon its world and characters would do well indeed.
For now, Baldur’s Gate 3 remains one of the hottest games in the world, and is still among the most-played games on Steam. In IGN’s review of Baldur's Gate 3, which returned a 10/10, we said: "With crunchy, tactical RPG combat, a memorable story with complex characters, highly polished cinematic presentation, and a world that always rewards exploration and creativity, Baldur's Gate 3 is the new high-water mark for CRPGs."
For more, check out IGN’s comprehensive Baldur’s Gate 3 walkthrough.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
