Baldur’s Gate 3 devs Larian discuss making two new games at once: “in practice, we will probably be miserable”

In April of last year, Larian, the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3, announced that they were working on two new games, neither of which is Baldur’s Gate 4. Following the successful release of BG3, Larian’s boss, Swen Vincke, has shed some light on how the team is managing the development of these mystery projects.

The plan is to have one game move from pre-production to production while the other game is in pre-production, ensuring that the production team stays busy and reducing downtime. Vincke acknowledges that this strategy may not be without its challenges but believes it is worth the effort. He described the first of the new projects as “crazy-ambitious” and progressing well, despite the complexities of developing intricate and player-driven games.

Larian, with approximately 470 employees and seven studios worldwide, aims to streamline their development process by running projects in parallel. This approach, according to Vincke, may lead to a better quality of life for the developers and a more efficient release schedule for games.

While the specifics of Larian’s new projects remain undisclosed, speculation suggests that one of them could be Divinity: Original Sin 3. However, Vincke’s description of the projects as “crazy-ambitious” hints at something more innovative and unique. Whether it’s a game where you embody a large body of water or a completely new genre of fantasy, Larian seems to be pushing boundaries with their upcoming releases.

Ultimately, Vincke hopes that by running multiple projects simultaneously, Larian can find a balance that allows for enjoyable development processes and timely releases. Only time will tell if this ambitious approach pays off for the studio.

Disclosure: Former RPS deputy editor Adam Smith (RPS in peace) now works at Larian and is the lead writer for Baldur’s Gate 3. Former contributor Emily Gera also works on it.