Hasbro has confirmed talks with “lots of partners” about the future of the Baldur’s Gate franchise, following the reveal that Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios will not pursue work on a sequel or DLC.
In late March 2024, Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke confirmed the studio is moving on, to work on something entirely new. “We’re not going to make new expansions, which everyone is expecting us to do,” Vincke said. “We’re not going to make Baldur’s Gate 4… we’re going to move on.”
The announcement surprised fans of Baldur’s Gate 3, as Larian achieved blockbuster success with this adventure. It received rave reviews on launch, and became one of the most awarded games of 2023. By all accounts, it was a critical and commercial success. But with this game under its belt, Larian announced its intention to try something new – and so, the Baldur’s Gate franchise seemingly re-entered limbo.
Read: Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t get an expansion or sequel from Larian Studios
In a new interview with PC Gamer, Eugene Evans, senior vice president of digital strategy and licensing for Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, confirmed Hasbro has no intention of letting the Baldur’s Gate franchise go dormant once again. Rather, the company is currently canvassing options for the future of the franchise, and talking to a range of potential game development partners.
“We’re now talking to lots of partners and being approached by a lot of partners who are embracing the challenge of, what does the future of the Baldur’s Gate franchise look like?” Evans said. “So we certainly hope that it’s not another 25 years, as it was from Baldur’s Gate 2 to 3, before we answer that.”
“But we’re going to take our time and find the right partner, the right approach, and the right product that could represent the future of Baldur’s Gate. We take that very, very seriously, as we do with all of our decisions around our portfolio.”
While “hope” does not necessary mean Baldur’s Gate 3 will be immediately followed up with a direct sequel, it’s certainly reassuring that Hasbro recognises the potential of the franchise, and its fandom. On a purely commercial basis, Baldur’s Gate is a winning setting, with an inbuilt, rabid fanbase that will likely support any new chapter.
At this stage, Hasbro is carefully canvassing the gaming landscape, looking for new opportunities for Baldur’s Gate. According to Evans, there’s a chance characters from the game could pop up elsewhere – they have appeared in Magic: The Gathering, for instance – as they’re now “essentially part of D&D canon.”
Whatever the future holds, it’s clear Hasbro is thinking deeply about its next steps, post-Larian Studios. While a new Baldur’s Gate game is likely several years away, it’s worth keeping an eye on what the company has planned.
