During a two-week span, a puzzling sinister monolith located in the Mojave Desert stood as the gaming world's primary puzzle. Conjecture kicked into high gear when a prominent figure published a photograph of the peculiar statue, hinting it was a teaser for a significant game unveiling. Gamers everywhere went into overdrive to crack the riddle. Might it signal new content for a major series? The next chapter in an iconic saga?
At the same time, the creative minds at Larian Studios were amusedly sharing every outlandish theory among themselves. They possessed the answer: it was a teaser for their upcoming game. This space was the exclusive place they could discuss it, committed by an unbreakable oath of secrecy. Their commitment to silence was so absolute that they even got caught up in the public excitement.
"I remember seeing people theorize that it was *Bloodborne 2*," said *Divinity's* lead writer, "And I thought ‘Oh, I wish it is!’ Then I remembered: ‘No, it certainly is not!’"
The mysterious monument made for a great shared mystery, but it also raised a important question: "Can you ultimately let down people if you generate anticipation?" This dilemma is one Larian Studios will grapple with as their next RPG continues development. Described as the studio's "largest-scale" title so far, the RPG will have far more eyes after the phenomenal success of their previous project, the critically adored *Baldur's Gate 3*.
A Homecoming
"I think the key point is that we aim not to disappoint fans," commented Larian founder Swen Vincke, addressing concerns over losing new fans expecting a direct sequel. "Our belief is that the primary reason they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the core mechanics. That's our formula, and it first took shape in the *Divinity* games. *Divinity* is essentially going back to the origins of it."
Larian pulled out a cinematic spectacle to get *Baldur's Gate 3* fans excited for *Divinity*. Its reveal trailer demonstrated stunning animation, centering around a disturbing scene reminiscent of folk horror. The teaser included intense imagery, modeled in part on a writer. It was a confident reveal, demonstrating the studio's confidence in its next project.
However, a new *Divinity* wasn't always the plan. While the studio aimed to return to its flagship CRPG series eventually, they originally envisioned creating a successor to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project more familiar to that setting. The current project has been in active development for about a couple of years following a major shift in plans.
"We were developing a new game based in the world of D&D, using the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," explained Vincke. "Our intention was to work gradually on *Divinity* afterward. But we felt that our passion lay elsewhere. We had finished our journey with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so jumping into a sequel didn't appeal. So we pivoted away from that project. This move fast-tracked everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to begin anew."
Building a New Foundation
Revisiting *Divinity* since the last main entry was a considerable challenge. The team acquired tremendous experience making *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke describes as the *Divinity* series at a more "refined level." Now, he claims that the new *Divinity* will be an even more evolved version of that game. To achieve this, Larian had to begin by reworking the world's foundation.
"One of the first things we did was begin constructing a consistent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was in the past not fully unified," Vincke said. "We had to resolidify it, a process we learned from our work with D&D. Simultaneously, we were building a new engine, so we adapted our plans to use it sooner. The engine shift predictably was not as seamlessly as hoped, so we're now concluding a complex development phase."
Vincke clarified that *Divinity* will be a tactical RPG that can be played alone or in co-op multiplayer. It is also a self-contained title, despite being set after the events of previous games. Longtime fans will encounter some familiar characters, but prior knowledge is not necessary. The stated goal is to create a "consistent world where extraordinary things unfold because of the choices you make."
Giving Players the Reins
This last point is key. When asked what Larian believes is the most important thing to get right in *Divinity*, Vincke offered a single-word answer: agency. Larian's vision is to craft a more complex RPG featuring compelling "gameplay mechanics." This emphasis on deep simulation was a cornerstone of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio claims it is enhancing that philosophy to new heights here.
"One of our design pillar is 'write your own legend.' So the agency we want to provide you is the boldest part," Vincke said. "There will be sequences in there that will have you wondering, 'Really? It reacts? But all I did was a minor choice!' We won't spoil these connections themselves. When we, during testing discovered we could connect these elements, it brought me great joy. It excited my inner player, and that is the sensation I want players to have when the game releases."
In addition to the expanded focus on player agency, the production of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been instrumental to *Divinity*'s evolution. The studio specifically notes that it learned extensive experience in narrative design and creating in-game story moments from that project, which will be a key component of the new game.
Building with Player Feedback
The team also analyzed the difficulties they encountered during the creation of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke notes that introducing new players could be tricky in that game due to diverse class rules. To make *Divinity* more user-friendly from the start, Larian set out to "create our own rulesets so we could make it more streamlined for play."
"A prime example was opportunity attacks in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke said. "Initially, we didn't want to include them. Midway through early access, the community strongly requested them. We feared it would interrupt the gameplay. Eventually, we implemented them in and realized, well, it's truly better. They had a point! It was a positive moment because it undeniably made the game better."
With this in mind, Larian's fans will be pivotal to *Divinity*'s final form. Vincke confirmed that the studio will keep taking into account fan feedback
