During a two-week span, a puzzling otherworldly monolith located in the Mojave Desert was the gaming world's biggest mystery. Theories reached a fever pitch when an industry producer published a photograph of the strange statue, hinting it was a teaser for a significant game announcement. The internet sprang into action to solve the riddle. Was it new content for a popular franchise? The next chapter in a beloved series?
At the same time, the creative minds at Larian Studios were happily sharing every far-fetched theory in a private channel. They held the answer: it was a teaser for the new *Divinity* title. That forum was the exclusive place they could discuss it, committed by an unbreakable oath of secrecy. Their resolve to silence was so absolute that they even were captivated in the public excitement.
"I remember seeing people theorize that it was *Bloodborne 2*," explained the game's writing director, "And I was like ‘Oh, I hope it is!’ Then I remembered: ‘No, it certainly is not!’"
The statue made for a perfect topic of conversation, but it also raised a critical question: "Is it possible to end up disappointing people if you create excitement?" This query is one Larian Studios must now address as their next RPG continues development. Billed as the studio's "most ambitious" project to date, the RPG can expect a lot more attention after the massive success of their prior project, the celebrated *Baldur's Gate 3*.
A Homecoming
"I believe the key point is that we aim not to disappoint fans," said Larian founder Swen Vincke, when asked about concerns over losing new fans hoping for a direct sequel. "Our belief is that the primary reason they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the core mechanics. That's our proven method, and it first took shape in our original IP. The new game is essentially going back to the roots of it."
Larian unveiled all the stops to excite *Baldur's Gate 3* fans interested in *Divinity*. The game's cinematic trailer showcased blockbuster polish, featuring a disturbing scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser included graphic imagery, modeled in part on a writer. It was a bold reveal, signaling the studio's confidence in its next project.
However, this return to their own series wasn't always the plan. While the studio planned to return to its flagship CRPG series eventually, they originally envisioned creating a successor to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project more directly related to that world. The current project has been in active development for about two years following a major pivot.
"Initially, we were developing a new game based in the world of D&D, built on the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," explained Vincke. "We planned to work gradually on *Divinity* subsequently. But we felt that our passion weren't really in it. 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. That decision fast-tracked everything for *Divinity*, which left us in a position where we had to start from scratch."
Forging a Coherent World
Revisiting *Divinity* since the last main entry posed a considerable challenge. The team acquired vast experience making *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke describes as the *Divinity* series at a more "advanced level." Now, he claims that the new *Divinity* will be an further evolved version of that game. To accomplish that, Larian needed to begin by reworking the game's universe.
"One of the first things we did was start to build a consistent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was in the past all over the place," Vincke explained. "We had to re-establish it, a process we learned from our work with D&D. Simultaneously, we were creating a new engine, so we modified our plans to leverage it sooner. That process obviously did not go as smoothly as expected, so we're now concluding a challenging technical overhaul."
Vincke stated that *Divinity* will be a tactical RPG playable solo 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 experience with the older games will not be necessary. The objective is to create a "consistent world where magical things unfold because of the choices you make."
Giving Players the Reins
This last point is crucial. When asked what Larian believes is the most important element to perfect in *Divinity*, Vincke offered a succinct answer: agency. Larian's vision is to craft a more complex RPG packed with compelling "gameplay mechanics." This commitment to deep simulation was a key ingredient of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio says it is pushing that philosophy more aggressively here.
"One of our philosophy is 'write your own legend.' So the freedom we want to give you is the riskiest part," Vincke explained. "There will be sequences in there that will have you wondering, 'Really? It keeps going? But all I did was this simple thing!' We aren't going to tell these connections themselves. When we, during testing discovered we could connect these choices, it brought me immense satisfaction. It excited my inner player, and that is the feeling I want you to experience when the game releases."
Beyond the expanded focus on player agency, the production of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been instrumental to *Divinity*'s progress. The studio explicitly points out that it learned valuable knowledge in writing and crafting cutscenes from that project, which will be a central component of the new game.
Building with Player Feedback
The team also analyzed the challenges they encountered during the making of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke points out that introducing new players could be challenging in that game due to complex class rules. To make *Divinity* more user-friendly from the start, Larian decided to "establish our own game systems so we could make it more video game friendly."
"A prime example was reactions in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke recalled. "Initially, we didn't want to include them. During early access, the community insisted on them. We worried it would hinder the gameplay. So we implemented them in and realized, well, it's actually better. They had a point! It was a positive moment because it undeniably made the game better."
Given this, Larian's player base will be crucial to *Divinity*'s development. Vincke stated that the studio will continue taking into account fan feedback
