Baldur's Gate 3: Can Larian Pull It Off Again?

[@ay9lx]

I think the proof is in the pudding. Larian already did it before with Divinity OS 2, it just wasn´t the commercial hit that BG3 turned out to be. BG3 didn´t come out of nowhere as some kind of miracle. It´s been years and years of successes building up to something that finally garnered real mass appeal.

[@thejadedfox9389]

This right here! I couldn't agree more, with remembering all the years that Larian spent consistently (that's the key world here) bringing better games to the table.

[@Ceivous]

Yeah D:OS2 already did everything right that BG3 then did right again but with a way higher budget and cutscenes, which made it attract more people. I personally even prefer D:OS2

[@00Mk000]

Well said

[@SeventhheavenDK]

And even before DOS2, DoS1 happened. Correct me if I am wrong but DOS1 saved Larian from bankruptcy. Each game has been a bigger hit than the other. Larian is definitely doing something very right. That said, I also prefer DOS2 over BG3.

[@EmpShaddam]

Yeah, with the way, he talks about BG 3 you would come all thinking that that is their only game they have ever developed and I have played divinity original sin 2 and it was just as good

[@daviru02]

You have to remember that Larian also had high expectations to follow up to Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 and they pulled it off. They could pull it off again. The one thing Sven has is humility. That goes a long way when making great games for gamers.

[@Kylesico912x]

All things considered, they have consistently nailed their games since Divinity Original Sin 1. I don't see how they couldn't continue to do so unless they really fall down the political rabbit hole or just simply lose a lot of talent.

[@jfkst1]

@@Kylesico912x Oftentimes that's one in the same. The progressive politics suggest that all people are replaceable and then they do their DEI hires which predictably leads to a decline.

[@noctrk161]

Imho, BG 3 is a lesser quality game than DOS 2. Act 3 is so long and boring it almost become unbearable on repeat playthrough. I hope it will not become a tendancy, DOS 3 short act 3 was way more preferable.

[@roxywolfe26]

There are 3 major factors that make an enjoyable game. 1. Mechanics 2. Story/characters 3. Developers desire to create a fun product for players. Larian has worked on solidifying their mechanics through divinity and bg3. Their next game will build on the successes and abandon the weaknesses of prior games and innovate in other ways. The writing may be the biggest what if since creating something is never a guarantee to resonate. But they’ve done a great job so far. So as long as larian values writers and creativity- we’ll probably have satisfying characters and story. Prioritizing the player and fun is something BioWare used to prioritize when gamers ran the company. Bg3 was successful not because it came out perfect, but because they took player feedback and listened. I’d argue Larian is respected not because they put out a perfect game, but because they put out an imperfect game and listened to our needs to make it almost perfect. As long as larian cares about us, I will support whatever they put out. And I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. Regardless if I love it “as much” as bg3.

[@UToobUsername01]

this. Also if the developers are fans of the game genre they make and the source material, then they will put more passion in thier work.

[@sneslive1556]

I mean, every game they've been putting out has been getting better and better. Even if they can't exceed what they did with BG3, I'm sure they will put out another good to great game next time. Original Sin 1 & 2 were bangers in their own right. 1 coming out during that period of more classical cRPG resurgence.

[@Hammer1987]

They had a lot of outside factors contributing to the magnitude of their success with BG3. They had the name recognition of two massive brands, DnD and Baldur's Gate. But also, Larian was still in the spotlight for their previous massive success, Divinity: Original Sin 2. Their next game might be as big and as well made as BG3 was, but it probably won't garner as much attention. The hype around the game when release approached was insane. Larian's greatest strength is that they aren't afraid of trying new things, while they also keep that unique Larian style all their games have. They've made Diablo clones, an open-world(ish) action rpg, a real-time strategy game with turn-based campaign, and their last three games have been turn-based crpgs. Larian don't chase success, they follow their passions and find success along the way. I wouldn't be surprised if their next game is something completely different. Personally, I hope they'll try their hand at making a fps rpg immersive sim. Like Deus Ex, but fantasy instead of cyberpunk.

[@Rapunzel879]

That sounds interesting! Personally, I would want them to take a stab at something like DA2-type combat in a new sci-fi world.

[@Prometheus-Unbound]

I got back into RPG with BG3 after a very long break. I then tried DoS2 and after getting past the more basic graphics and voice acting (though it was still good) I feel it is the better game - far more free flowing, deeper and rewarding to players who like to experiment (and find out why BG3 has so many buckets and teddy bears). So BG3 wasn't lighting in a bottle, rather it came from something and added experience in cinematic style and voice actor participation to Larians already impressive skills. The success of both comes from solid scripting, awareness of their customers and deep production skills. Since I;m expecting the next to address a different genre (something SiFi or steam punk) it will be different but I expect the same skill set at play.

[@hah-vj7hc]

I actually liked DOS 1 even better than 2. And I played it with only 2 custom characters, ignoring companions, ignoring the story, killing everything I came across. It was awesome

[@MalfuncEddie]

Sven said in an interview he still has feature he wants for his ultimate RPG but that the technology doesn't exist yet. let that sink in: All other devs: Hey this is cool tech we can use it for this and that larian: I know wat I want, tech is holding me back.

[@kittydaddy2023]

He was also disappointed with the 5th edition ruleset, so even if they are not able to develop whatever tech he's dreaming of if we get BG3 with better magic or action economy then that will be cool, too.

[@Ludydobry]

NPCs is RPG games controlled by AI and not written, liear story. If you could talk to it just like with chat gpt that would be a game changer .

[@Rapunzel879]

Mind you, Todd said the same thing about Crapfield, that they were "waiting" for the technology to make it. Obviously, I'm not comparing the two, Todd is a known liar after all. But it's worth to keep expectations in check.

[@MinecraftMartin]

​@@Rapunzel879 That was my first thought reading this comment lol There's nothing special about a director or CEO saying, "the technology I need doesn't exist yet." It doesn't mean anything. Hell, I think even Peter Molyneux said that a few times when making the Fable games. It's not even unique to the gaming industry. Everyone wants to do things that are held back by technology. That's why it keeps improving.

[@charlesboots6508]

I came to BG3 because I have history with the series & the Forgotten Realms in general, but what keeps me coming back are the characters & the actors' performances. If they have characters as good as Lae'zel & Minthara, voiced by performers as talented as Devora Wilde & Emma Gregory, I'll be back for whatever they do next. I don't think Baldur's Gate 3 is a perfect game, but Larian's approach to it since I got Early Access in spring 2023 has been as close to perfection as I've seen.

[@stigkenobi7525]

So you have a history with the series and the Forgotten Realms, and you enjoyed how this game broke lore and continuity all over the place with both? You must be a really invested fan. Deeply knowledgeable about the lore that just got urinated on.

[@charlesboots6508]

@stigkenobi7525 How so? If you're talking about Viconia & Sarevok, that's more an issue with WotC deciding on a "canon" setting for them that nobody outside of WotC actually likes. I'd rather Larian not included them at all, if the only way was conditional on endorsing WotC's character assassination, but that's not a hill on which I'm willing to die, I'm just going to ignore it, like we all should when some suit makes a stupid decision.

[@Victor-wi7vr]

I think the main reason why so many, especially western studios, have failed to build on past successes is because they don't retain their talent. They only care about profit. In the East, especially Japan, studios stay together after a game is released and therefore future games are of equal or even better quality. A good example is Metaphor ReFantazio. Persona 3 and 5 were both great games, but they still managed to create a game that exceeded their previous ratings. I think Larian has what it takes to create another masterpiece because they are not just about money. They retain their talent and that will bring them long-term success.

[@Rapunzel879]

Not only do they not retain the talent, they often try to branch out to different genres, in which they have no experience. What they should do is keep building on their existing tech/game design. For instance, if you are an RPG dev like Larian, and you released BG3, the next step is to add more layers, more complexity to characters/relationships. The romances for one felt really basic (essentially borrowing BioWare's dated formula). That's an area where they can improve.

[@apres-lachute8718]

I think we need to temper our expectations. Sure, we hope it will top BG3 but how many times does that happen? I would just appreciate a good RPG even if it does not each BG3 quality.

[@stigkenobi7525]

Yeah. A lore-breaking mess that is dumbed down for the ADHD masses. Truly great quality right there. Thank you for setting the bar at zero for them.

[@Vagabond_Gaming]

20k subs? Congratz

[@spellandshield]

Thank you scion of Sejong!

[@franciscor390]

Good commentary and ideas. People who happen to hold their own opinions (not so much the popular, reddit approved opinion) are in times successfully able to create their own little colony.

[@jeremiahjones9940]

BG3 came along in a time where mainstream rpgs are suffering. It's a great game, but the bar is also very low. As long as they've keep their attitude towards the player base and game development the same, they should be able to replicate their success.

[@kittydaddy2023]

I agree. BG3 is the type of game we should be getting these days, but big studios want to say that we shouldn't expect that kind of experience in gaming. Excuse me? Here it is right here. It exists.

[@disappointing8213]

Having never played DnD and also never played a Larian game before….I absolutely fell in love with the studio and am now going back and playing their past games. They’re all just like building blocks for the next even better game. They are consistently improving throughout each one. I will pre order their next game, whatever it may be, because I love the studio, I see the track record, and I believe in their ideology. I think their next game will do amazing because I believe this masterpiece and their personality as a studio has earned them a very dedicated fan base

[@red-merlin]

Off topic, tho i do agree with you points, but nice choice in music lol. That song made the scene so heavy talking with the hags. I remember just sitting there in dialogue and listening the song loop lol. As for Larian, i think they can pull it off. I'll only point to DOS2. Larian was more limited during its dev and release. Larian are very big into player choice and just iterate each point of the game to death. Trying to figure out what a gamer might think to try and then implement it. I'll never forget in divinity origins sin 2 when i was fighting a shark, i got an idea to use teleport spell on it and drop it on the dry sand, seeing if it would actually do anything different. Lol the shark writhed in pain for a sec and then died. A fight that would have been tough was finished in one move all because i got clever lol. Small example, but dos2 is full of that, and we all know bg3 has even more. Btw if you haven't played DOS2 i really encourage you check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed. But i will say i understand the concern that Larian might fall short of expectations. It's all we're used to seeing from studios that became household names when we were growing up. But Larian is at present a passionate studio. Sven is a passionate director. While my default tends to be paranoia for any given issue lol, I'm confident Larian won't disappoint. Side note. I hope you saw my message few days back and took advantage of the 90% off sale of kingdom come deliverance. 3 bucks for a game that's worth your time (even if you are like me and prefer fantasy type games). I know you've played ME before and it's not your preferred kind of game so i really urge you to check out KCD. The sale might still be going if you haven't yet

[@charlesboots6508]

Your comment made me go back & listen closely to the music. Much as I love BG3 & RDR2, Witcher 3 is still the most satisfying gaming experience I've ever had. No notes. Perfection.

[@red-merlin]

@charlesboots6508 lol for sure. Same here. When i first plunged into bg3 i wasn't sure if it was my number 1 game or if i still put witcher 3 up top. After all this time to process it tho, I'm with you on it. Rdr2 and bg3 are great games, but witcher 3 is just so good. The margins are close for those games but everything about witcher 3 i just love. The atmosphere, music, tone, characters is just well crafted. Guanter O'Dimm is probably my favorite villian of any given story. He's so well written that half the time I'll side with him and not bat an eye. Yet He's frightening in how calculated he is. And there's the bloody baron who is an asshole. I remember thinking how i hate this guy and his thugs need to all be wiped out. But when you conclude his story and if you make a series of tough choices that are far from obvious, if you find him dead it still makes you feel bad for the guy. I wanted to reload but i was hours deep. Several quests Along. To far to save scum that outcome. That's probably the moment i gained so much respect and appreciation for the game. Not to mention the story is just lore rich

[@imranbohari1]

Good video, i too was expecting their next game to be as good as BG3, if not better. I hope that they outdo themselves though

[@Turnsup]

Easy access to mods and modding is one of Bethesda strengths. I find being able to mod or finding a game with an extensive work in modding already has won my money.

[@SoulsNThings]

I love the running joke of saying Dragon Age...THE VEILGUARD

[@franciscor390]

It's a great one for sure. It always gets me.

[@Optaquon]

I think BG3 is as you said, lightning in a bottle. I don't care about sales or critical reception but a lot of BG3's strengths come from the Forgotten Realms setting which is decades old and fleshed out by dozens of writers over that time. I really enjoyed DOS2 mechanically but the story and setting didn't stand out to me at all.

[@monkeylungs3479]

A lot of people that analyze BG3 seem to conveniently ignore this aspect. D&D is also way more popular in recent and current times than it has ever been.

[@monkeylungs3479]

People like to ignore the popularity and appeal of Dungeons and Dragons. I think it's a bigger factor in helping BG3 than a lot of people online want to admit.

[@spellandshield]

I absolutely agree. A lot of people discount the importance of FR and D&D but they contributed heavily.

[@Odisseia-hh2td]

Indeed. Though a great game on its own, if it wasn't for D&D, many people (including myself probably) wouldn't have played. Success is viral, and D&D is nostalgic to so many people.

[@nickrubin7312]

I'll just add some context here, specifically about DnD rules that needed to be implemented (since I somewhat agree on lore/world and importance of FR) So to implement DnD 5e rules as a design, they agree to implement player's handbook, with some additions and changes and limitation, but the promise was player's handbook So, when Larian researched and studied every material regular DnD player Joe gets, be that player, DM and whomever, they asked WoTC "ok, let's go into more inside calculations, design docs on classes, spells, balancing, see excel spreadsheet on every class, and so on", to which WoTC said "ugh-agh, we don't have these types". Yeah, basically is handcrafted and figured out within the meets or individual heads. SO, yeah, DnD really helped, lol. That's from Swen's recent (and last) presentation about development of BG3

[@davidl4312]

Can you imagine if Larian came into the pathfinder realm

[@STRET24]

Always solid content here S&S...appreciate you. BG3 was...Game of the Decade, maybe Lifetime for me...I'm not crazy to think they do it twice, but I actually think they can...as you said, Sven's still in charge, they have a nicely sized gaming staff with years of experience now. What they put out will be "solid", just maybe not personally yours or my all-time "favorite"...but I bet they come really close again.

[@robbiedubes]

The setting is a big part of any game. The forgotten realms setting / DnD rule set were a big part of its success . Their next game will be good but I don’t know if it will be as good as

[@nickrubin7312]

Sword Coast Legends Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear (literally the game that meant to be "the next" BG installment in the series) Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance that's for the past 10 years, trying to capture the same idea utilizing the same IP didn't help these, literally the same setting that was "big part of success' don't deny that it is basis of some success of BG3, especially the pre-existing worldbuilding/lore, but in comparison to everything great in BG3 that is mostly Larian-based design, their implementation of ruleset feels like a successful undertaking that is done right but ultimately constrained them a bit

[@robbiedubes]

@nickrubin7312 SOD was an expansion made by a no-name developer , it's like 10 hours of extra content to a game that had come out 10 years prior. Baldurs Gate Dark alliance was an action RPG that had the name and nothing else that really tied it to the main entries in the series . So this argument doesn't really make sense . There are far more Dungeons and Dragons players in the world than there are Divinity : Original Sin players. Larian used the IP and the setting and made an amazing game with it, and now their next game will do massive numbers and be great, but without the Forgotten Realms setting It would not have been as successful as it was

[@_george84]

Regression toward the mean: I think it's more probable than the next game will be good but worse than BG3, because of this phenomenon. Being aware of that may temper our expectations. Great videos as always!

[@kestrik]

I agree that BG3 is "lightening in a bottle" kind of event, with many factors contributing to its success. But some of what makes it stand out, in my mind, is unique. Larian's approach to cinematics and the fantastic embodied performances, combined with the sheer number of ways you can go about being a player in BG3 is extraordinary. There are great story driven action RPGs (e.g., The Last of Us, Cyberpunk) but as a player you are usually locked into 1 main cinematic story the whole way through, and you either identify with the protagonist or your don't. I usually can't finish those types of games, b/c I usually lose interest in being the protagonist. BG3 even changes the way the narrator voices content based on player choice. So the story being told is in some ways, the story that the player is choosing to experience. This allows for people with vastly different interests to find something to like, even if not everything is their cup of tea. I think the romances are popular, but the issue isn't with the romance options but the lack of content connected to furthering a platonic relationship with the companions. I have more hope for Larian though. They aren't just another Microsoft owned studio, and whatever they do, even if its a bit of a flop, will be better than studios that aren't even trying to offer something new.

[@insanocrazedman2667]

I'll be fine with product like D:OS 2 provided its got no bug issues and has lots of updates like BG 3 got. The one thing I'm worried about is too much emphasis on graphics and cinematic cutscenes.

[@zinematicgaming]

If anyone can , it's them

[@christopherr.561]

I think their next game will be great and I also believe it will sell less maybe substantially less than BG3. I don’t think you can replicate what happened with BG3, it became a phenomenon. I do trust the next game will be awesome and sell very well since they probably got a lot more fans now, just will sell less than BG3 but more than DoS2

[@lucasbobo22]

if you play DoS 1 and 2 you will see that they are improving their games each time, so not only they can do again, they can do even better.

[@BroBomba]

I think Larian can pull off another BG3, but I think people need to remember that Larian also stated their next game or two will be smaller in scale, so that needs to be kept in mind when measuring them up to BG3.

[@lilyrubyify]

Aside from the obviously much higher production value, I actually feel like it's arguable that DOS2 was as good a game in many ways as BG3, and in a few ways actually better considering some of the weakness of the D&D settings. What really amazes me about BG3 is that it's such a big jump for Larian in terms of project scale and investment. They went from barely AA to right in the middle of AAA without much hiccup. It speaks volumes to how capable Swen and his team have become. That's what I have faith in, that experience of how to manage a project and make a great RPG, or in Swen's own words: their institutional knowledge.

[@damned0wl]

I highly doubt that Larian's next game will be anywhere near as successful (at least financially) as BG3, or as big in scale. But I'm also confident that Larian will continue to grow and improve as developers, so the next game is likely to be even better than BG3 in some aspects.

[@Kellbellgurl]

You make a lot of good points. While I would like to think it was all talent and hardwork that made this a successful-great game. I think there is also a great amount of random luck involved with it. There was an interview on a podcast with a millionaire CEO who mentioned this once. He contributed most of his success to luck. He had increased chances with his connections and handwork but he could never contribute 100% on those factors alone. Those who say otherwise are not being honest.

[@patriot639]

My expectations for vileguard were exceptionally low, and they couldn't even meet those expectations.

[@Banefane]

I think the hype for Larian's new games will be high and they will do the same good things in terms of development that they learned from BG3. The right things are, for example, the things you already mentioned in your video. This also includes interacting and listening to the fan base, not being afraid to do things that are cool but that no one expects (in general there are things that are really impossible to do. So don't expect too much .). This is pure speculation: However, we still don't know what specific games they make. The difficulty is that you already mentioned that new games are possibly not as popular as old BG series. I expect they will take an IP they already own and turn it into something big new. This could be something like a highly dynamic and reactive world that is also open but still has a strong main story. Essentially what I'm saying here is the strength of BG3 storytelling and the open world of e.g. Daggerfall, but with the quality of Morrowind. I would even say more ambitious than Morrwind in terms of world connectivity and responsiveness. There will also be the option to play the game with companions or alone, and it will be more third-person focused, with the ability to zoom out if necessary, but I don't know if it will be turn-based or real-time or something new. So basically what I'm saying is that until we know what they're cooking, we can't say what problems they'll tackle and how "realistic" their goals are.

[@spaceghostohio7989]

Increasing success by lowering expectations...

[@mahumia]

I think that the broad audience appeal of BG3 might not be achieved again quickly, but I do not expect bad games. I just hope that they will (also) keep making crpg's, as Larian has proven to be good at that (see DOS-series). Apparently they are working on something sci-fi now? Not sure how that would work as crpg, so maybe that would be more arpg. I do not expect all games to appeal to me, but they can still be good if they don't.

[@noctoi]

This is such an important ideas to get our heads around. I have zero doubt that their next game will be smaller in scale. Swen said as much in the same interview he told us there wouldn't be any DLC for BG3. That said, as long as the next game maintains that quality and the devs can keep their love and excitement going, I think the game will still be excellent. I just hope the general gamer population can keep a level head through the "culture war" idiocy that's running rampant through the gamer AND dev communities. It'd be heartbreaking for the game to crash and burn because people judge it on things like queer characters and pronouns rather than the merits of the game itself. Aa long as it's as good as DOS2, I'll be over the moon

[@nickrubin7312]

Hot take: I don't think they want to pull off BG3 again. In fact, they want to distance themselves from BG3 as far as possible, like they prefer to distance themselves from competition and release in the more or less empty months (and BG3 is literally their next game competition now). I mean, they still would want to "aim for stars and see what happens", another 95-96 Metacritic. If you listen to Swen Vincke last presentation, he elaborates on that, and how going past 91 on Metacritic is crucial for success of the game and how they constantly iterate on each design/feature to be at least 90, so the whole game would be at least 90, and on top of that each design feature has personal responsibility, that the approach. But I don't think they want to create BG3 again. They are tired of it, have only supporting team on it, and think of it as competition (Swen also said that it is important not to go "well, we did this in BG3, so we need to do this in X game"). I think some people, especially who started playing Larian games with BG3, would be surprised by their next game, not only because it would be different, but because they fundamentally misunderstand BG3 as a story-driven game a-la old school Bioware (it is most certainly not). What I think would surprise people: - Completely new system, nothing like DnD, I think they wanted to do DnD, they did a DnD game, and they want nothing to do with DnD again xD. It would be based on action points for any action and movement (like DOS2, since Swen literally says that "action points is my favorite game mechanic ever"), and it would be classless with free builds a-la DOS2 (I don't think Larian, in the end, found class constraints really fun to play with, even tho they did a great job of making some crap DnD classes work). - Setting and lore weaker than forgotten realms, but character writing and narrative better than BG3. Contradiction, I know lol, but in case of Larian it is literally the truth. Everything lore wise is interesting because of Forgotten Realms, BUT gameplay wise, narrative and especially character writing has nothing to do with the setting, like almost at all. Overall BG3 is great to play because of Larian, and it is written well because of Larian, including narrative, BUT established lore helped them significantly, and it made the game better, more appealing to mass market (their own Divinity lore is a hot mess that only Divinity-heads are interested in, which are few) - Cut off the party at some point early in the game, if not from the start. They don't like big parties, they don't like interactions of big social groups, they don't like the camp system. They wanted to cut off party in BG3 to 4 characters after Act1 which they acknowledged during PfH 9 (the last one), but they didn't because players got attached to the characters, because it is BG and thus big party is expected, and so on. Furthermore, they literally have max party of 4 in DOS1, and that's with "if-clauses", might not happen and be smaller, and they literally cut off party, and you have to select 3 companions past Fort Joy in DOS2, the others just "die" (yeah, this happens, lol, imagine all the crying from new to Larian games all the people who want to see ALL the content, they would be fuming, asking for alt method like for Minthara or something) - Much more whimsical style, that's just how they are and that is what they do, always, they touch on serious topics and like to write about trifecta of "power", "survival" and "trust", these are the themes, but overall style is more on the whimsy side (act2 of BG3 is the most unlike Larian act out of all acts in DOS1-2 and BG3, act3 is the most Larian-like act in ALL the games they made) - Much more gameplay-oriented and gameplay-first game, because it is Larian, they are fascinated with design and implementation of the systems, that is what they found interesting in DnD, just figuring out could their design muscles implement 5e in their own quite unique engine (yeah yeah, it is the story and the characters, right? well, they did them, but if you listen to some interviews of their team and Swen you would know lol, they are tinkerers/engineers/artificers first) - Much more difficult game and would require cheesing a lot, it is not DnD encounter design with certain enemy-types and recommendations in mind, Larian truly likes some encounters to be rough to get through (look no further than DOS2) What I want, personally, regardless of the game, knowing that they will be firstly focusing on developing a new version of their engine (like the artificers that they are, like with DOS1-2 and BG3, it is just a vehicle to iterate on the engine lol, I mean DOS1 is borderline storyless systems demo): - day and night cycle, it is a must in my opinion (and would've been in engine since DOS1 if not for the shortage of 50k to reach this final goal), we can't have yet another sunny day all year game, it is fun, but it somewhat immersion breaking - proper vertical axis that would allow going up and down on that axis (thus something like flying wouldn't be just slow non-linear jumping) - improvements on inventory system (it has been a decade of iterating, and while they improved, it is still pretty much crap, I hope they would just look at mods, and implement best community solutions on top of whatever system there may be) - separate approval meters (and systems) for friendship and romance - party formations, and much better pathfinding on top of that, but I want to be able to choose party formation, even something AA like King Arthur's Tale has it (also 4-5 party members, I choose formation I want to go with) - being able to switch companions in dialogue if it is in meaningful way and doesn't break immersion (not all NPCs would allow the switch, and it should be reflected in reactivity, they should ask "what are doing" and maybe even get aggressive because you did it, but overall it should be there, it is the next logical step for party-based RPGs) - actual map of the world, not just 3 acts each having sandbox (monolayered and multi-leveled) or multiple sandboxes, I want to know and feel the scale - in-game codex, intertwined with the journal intertwined with all the books and notes, it all should be connected with each other (and there should be a codex in a first place) - more basic action, BG3 was strict improvement on DOS2 which had none, next thing is to implement even more, like dodge, grab, etc (this is more on the DnD side, but having basic action like jump and shove in the engine is already a game-changer for interactivity) - (that's just extremely personal regarding roleplay) more options that actively punish goody-playstyle, same as DOS2 and BG3 the only playstyle that goes "throught power of togetherness, yay!". Want for players to experience something like "Let's not fight each other and solve this normally" and some dude they try to reason with just slits companion's throat and calls players weak-minded c*ck or something. Basically, punish "paragon" players more, much more, not enough tears from players who prefer "conventionally good" style and "can't be evil/rude/mean to anyone" lmao.

[@bwellington3001]

I only played DOS and DOS2 games, still havent gotten around to play BG3 thoroughly, but i will once the supposedly latest update drops. I played the prologue a bit and what i find curious is how they managed to water it down just to enough to appeal to both casual and more advanced audiences. The thing they did with how this game plays out on the controller is nothing short of a genius (i preferred it that way too - because the UI is super clean and rumble effects are cool). On a side note: Have you ever played Greedfall and do you have an opinion on it's upcoming sequel? Game is not getting a lot of coverage, and it seems like people who are aware of it's existance (from steam forums and youtube comments at least) are refusing to give it a chance, main reason being the shift from an action RPG combat to RTWP system with full companion control. This is kinda blows my mind too, because back in a day people would go apeshit if OPPOSITE happened.

[@bhryaen3743]

It's just too soon to tell. We don't even know what their next project is- the scope of it, genre, etc.- to estimate how they'll fare, though their experience thus far has surely taught them a crap tonne about what works. I mean, they're still promising MORE in BG3 next year despite months ago saying they're ready to move on. When they decisively move on, we'll see HOW they move on. I mean, DAO was made by breaking away from existing IPs, away from DnD, away from easy high fantasy tropes- so leaving a BG-sized IP isn't exactly a necessarily self-hampering step. The Mass Effect devs are attempting it w Exodus...

[@KendaricV]

I think it's necessary to temper our expectations. While I do expect their next projects to be good or even very good, I don't think the D:OS games have a large enough fanbase to replicate BG 3's success. That isn't to say they were bad games, they weren't. But a large part of BG 3's success came from fans of BG 1 & 2. Of course there's always the chance they get their hands on another popular IP, but we don't know until they release some news.

[@machofreak123]

As long as the company doesn't sell out to big corporations it should be fine. They have gone on record saying they don't want to join big corporations like EA

[@Jrockk999]

It's entirely possible they could and I look forward to whatever they have up their sleeve. I never put much stock into a person or a company never having the potential to pull of an amazing success again in the future. It's just that often repeated outcomes from these things lower expectations and don't leave me with faith. I have faith that Larian could make another great crpg and that I will love it. Will it be as good as BG3 or better? Time will tell.

[@Blackreaper95]

I think Larian can do it again however with them working on their own IP's going forward they might not have the hype of baldur's gate but I definitely think they will improve upon what they did with bg3.

[@petemisc4291]

Yea, the next game will be their own ip, so based on how people feel about the ip will determine the success, the story, the characters, the world etc ….

[@Kwizats245]

given the strength of their earlier work, I think they can easily exceed BG3, but it may not have the same impact. just because of the current game's media living in a bubble, and the fact that most people are so easily distracted.

[@aDeadMansParty]

It’s somewhere in between for sure. But even so I have immense faith in Larian on quality of their next crpg.

[@thunderleg6605]

Unlikely to fail hard, but if one of the two was a scrolls-like... cash money

[@Odisseia-hh2td]

Skyrim right now has a 24h peak player count on par with Elden Ring's (summing Special Edition and Vanilla) on Steam. Skyrim from 2011 and Elden Ring just released a DLC.

[@Odisseia-hh2td]

Imo it's the perfect playground for modders.

[@deathbycognitivedissonance5036]

I would say the chance is 50/50 but if it were just good and not amazing I would be ok with it.

[@brucewatford2137]

BG3 probably is lightning in a bottle. But, I expect Larian's next game(s) to be at least as good as DOS2, and possibly as good as BG3, just with a different rule set.

[@Prince_Smugarina]

Definitely. They also don't hate their players or "Gamers" and consider the feedback. They even decided to give another update with new subclasses for each of the 12 classes with HOMEBREW extra goodies. At the same time, they took people's general consensus to heart. Shadowheart was too negative. So they made her less so. Oh and with the hot topic of Pronouns this year. BG3 does have have you choose your identity(Male/Female/NB.) though that's only if you have a need to. It'll otherwise apply the default gender to the according body type. Some people got extra butt-hurt about it, but Larian didn't clap back with a hissy fit. They calmly expressed that the character you may so choose to create is for you to decide and that they want you to have that freedom of expression. They did however forgo sliders, but thats because they full embrace modding and if Modders want huge bazongas, you are free to have them... and I think the men got them first XD. But more importantly, EVERYONE is fairly attractive. You can be smoking hot or ugly as fook. Its your choice, but this is a fantasy game, thus the other origins, created by others, well, they were created by others who wanted a pretty boi vamp twink.

[@kowaikokoro]

Lot of people left larian but with the near infinite budget they obtained i think sven can manage but we'll have to wait and see. Some people are expecting divinity 3 where we truly reach divinity but i've also seen an lot of sci-fi rumors gonna be interesting regardless.

[@Rapunzel879]

I really want a new Sci-FI game from Larian that could give birth to sequels.

[@marducms]

depends on how much of the team that really made the game are in the company now. Games are pieces of art and technical marvels. The people are the central element.

[@Rapunzel879]

I most enjoyed the combat and characters in BG3. The world and story didn't really do it for me. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they nailed most of the things that I value in games. I don't see why they couldn't make an even better game!

[@merton6639]

Looking at BG3, SO much went right, unbelievably right. The voice acting, the motion capture, the level design, the art direction, the music, the sound engineering, the reactivity which was conditioned by YEARS of active player feedback, etc. My guess is that the next Larian game will be excellent, certainly better than everything else on the market, but BG3 had an ineffable magic that I don't think can be repeated, even with the most talented team in the world.

[@ns7495]

I doubt they got eavrything ”unbelivably” right on first try, rather alot wrong tries tweaked getting closer to the standard you saw in game, which is methodology that can be repeated to same effect. Also larian is consistent in improving, so if next game fails to meet expectation it wont be a matter of quality dropping, but bg3 setting expectation unrealistically high.

[@antman1672]

It depends how much money BG3 made for Larin. If they made enough to spend as much as they did on bg3 into the next game they will be able to replicate it. However more than likely they would have to scale back at least somewhat to make a game between BG3 and Divinity Original Sin 2, which is still pretty good. Divinity with slightly better graphics and cutscenes would still be amazing imo.

[@EcardEcardian]

Larian has a good trackrecord, made by good people that seems down to Earth and humble. If you think about the high expectations when it comes to a name like Baldur's Gate. BG1, BG2 really good games. BG3 they made a good job. They have done a ton of Divinity games. After all making Divinity games for the last 22 years. They have experiance in making games. If they toke their time and made Baldur´s Gate 4. Sense they nailed the 3rd one, all they have to do is keep the forumla intact. Sometimes making a fallow up, if they just keep it at the same level of quality up, than they got Baldur's Gate in the bag. But it is rare that a game maker can make two hits in a row, that is rare, what comes to mind on the top of my head is Dead Space 1 - 2. Both of this games gameplay vise was really close, than some games have just a better game after it, like System Shock 2. That ending was awesome, Nah! Sometimes you get games that are awesome, the first game a smash hit, than the second game is really good as well, KOTOR 1 and 2, but for the most part you get where the other game is kind of meh. Dragon Age had one good game, than it all went down hill, untill you get to ThE VeILgUaRd that is rock bottom. or in sometimes you get two good games and the 3rd game kills the ip. Or that you get a game that ends on a cliff hanger and the studio goes belly up. Prey is one of this games. the publisher was big dumb there.

[@micasa8421]

As a big fan of Dos2 and Bg3 i think it won't be as good as Bg3 but around the quality of Dos2. It will depend a lot on the setting and characters that will market the initial reveal.

[@ns7495]

I have to disagree; logistically larian got no monetary support from wizards of the coast and had to even pay for licence addmitedly getting them larger revenue share, only set rules for following coheison of dnd settings lore, mechanics and overall story, so unless people sent to support wotc vision were the deciding factor and if they were its likly they got or can get position in larian after wotc layoffs. So logistically they have eavrything neccesary to make a game of equal or even better game whitout wotc handicapping them and as sentiment that dnd 5th ed mechanics were more hinderence than ruleset they can adapt themselfs, was Shared by devs and large quantity of fans, speaks Well for gameplay. As for writing id honestly say its their weakest point, as narrative itself, really wasent all that groundbreaking, characterisation kinda carried on that front and as characters that became favorites were of larians own making and only really the emperor was kind of character that couldent exist outside mythos, but Ketheric, raphael, or karlach (even if i saw them as simple and clishe characters personally, but than again to cause any strong emotion whit character, speaks Well to writers talent and conversly i liked gortashes writing) are kind of character that could be written into larians own ip, so dnd licence wasent the Secret to writings sucess. Lastly larian has shown consistency ever since they launched first kickstarter, which addmitedly could lead to bg3 setting unrealistic expectation, but you specifically defined quality as deciding factor and that has only increesed whit consistency.

[@grayearly3116]

I rhink the same amount of effort placed into the systems of a less graphically intensive framework might not be as popular but most of us would immediately buy that.

[@jamricsloe]

I think they purposefully need to make a smallish budget, simple game as a pallet cleanser.

[@Myndeex]

As long as they are private company they gonna make good games

[@BabyDogOfJustice]

It is a confluence of a great game coming together at the right time and place. Like Mass Effect 1 & 2 or early Lan / Online gaming 1995-2004. There was a magic that came together but when you play some of those games now, it doesn't feel the same....sometimes you can't go back.

[@silentobserver888]

I only trust larian and fromsoft these days.

[@btplays96]

and Owlcat!

[@silentobserver888]

@ I want to add capcom is pretty consistent too and I would place obsidian on that list but it remains to be seen based on what happens with avowed. Also atlus games for jrpgs.

[@ponli7532]

Obsidian is dead.

[@btplays96]

Actually, just like you, I don't put BG3 at the top of my list of CRPGs, despite it being a masterpiece. But combat with D&D mechanics really doesn't appeal to me. So the fact that Larian will have more creative freedom in combat in the next games already gives me a good chance of liking it more than BG3, even if it doesn't have the same investment. Sure, thousands of cinematics and good graphics are wonderful, but that's never what kept me interested in CRPGs.

[@maximbard5250]

Let's not confuse "quality" and "popularity". I have no doubt next Larian's project will be of high quality, considering that the team is largely the same. Popularity, on the other hand, might be lower due to some of the unpredictable factors mentioned in the video.

[@ParanoiaForce]

I think.. Why not as long as the company is still the same in spirit with the same goals and ideals and appreciation for the fun in the game, the only problem will be that they may not be able to beat their masterpiece BG3 and just do something similar . For me that would be fine given all the crap that has come out from other studios lately

[@gensuave1]

My fear is that our expectations for Larian's next game is *TOO* high. For a brief example, whenever I have a high expectation for a Hollywood movie, then go see it, it never really meets my expectations, and I think the movie was mediocre. I think Larian's game will be awesome, but as awesome as I (personally) expect them to be? No... and that will make the game seem "less." Thoughts?

[@fliplife67]

Im still trying to find a game that will be able to let U recruit a lot of members for your party also if your MC does die U can still more forward in the game or is that unrealistic expectation.

[@boo5860]

Veilguard wasn't even a bad game just a bad dragon age game. Important distinction.

[@Voidwatcher]

I would not mind a Divinity Original Sin 3. I still think the second game of that same name is better than BG3. I say this as someone who played BG1 and 2. All expansions and IWD1 and 2 that ysed the aame gane engine. I even have the strategy guide to BG1 that i bought in 1997. More DOS can only be a positive.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

I second this

[@jamricsloe]

If the next game is only Divinity Original Sin 2 good, it's still a great game! I'm going to say it was Lightning in a Bottle. The loved setting, the timing, more people than ever were playing D&D, the rules, the time to let it cook in early access, and the money that was available, plus I'm sure a few more factors... As far as being able to replicate the game, they have the Template, the workflow and the know-how.

[@Rapunzel879]

With regards to expectations, generally speaking it's best to temper expectations, but it's also important to allow oneself to get hyped from time to time (assuming the hype is warranted). In the Failguard's case, the moment I watched the first trailer (and even before that), I was certain the game would be a dumpster fire. KCD2, on the other hand, is a guaranteed banger, so I know it's "safe" for me to get hyped.

[@SephonDK]

Personally I don't need it to be the best thing ever, or even as good as BG3. I just want it to be a good game. I trust them as devs to just making something good with a fair business model, and I'll pay them for that. The next thing will not be BG3 levels of insanity and hype. But it doesn't have to be, either. Remember that behind all the fireworks, BG3 still has a lot of issues. But people don't care because of the sincere effort and clarity of direction put into it. They recognize it's just a good, solid product with some flaws. And I think that's just what people want again. Something good and solid and no-bullshit with some acceptable quirks.

[@Pickle_Maniac]

Larian is a simple company, is the juice worth the squeeze yes/no. Can we inflict player chaos yes/no. Can we give choice yes/no. Can you pissfart about yes/no. And that is their formula.

[@Yunfei81]

I dont think the next game will be exactly as great as BG3, but it surely will be very high quality, because Larian craft with passion. Thats good enough for me.

[@adamaccountname]

I feel they could limit the scope to be less epic and make for a better story. Eg I had more fun in Act 1&2 where it was a more intimate story helping a band of tieflings get to a big city, with more realistic stakes

[@adamaccountname]

Bethesda thought that they could hollow out their properties as much as possible to create a minimum effort + max profit product. They learned Skyrim was the minimum effort point

[@Rambletripe1]

I am not sure how expectations for Veilguard were high and definitely not since the first trailer. Even then many people were more hopeful rather than excited in my opinion. As a long-time DA fan I now I wasn't super excited so that may be colouring my viewpoint. As to Larian next game can it? Maybe but like you I doubt it will pull off the level of success of BG3. In part this is due to the growth of the company, it is very difficult to manage the employee growth and I suspect like many a company before them this will be a factor (plus some of the external socio issues.)

[@hern7213]

Of course then can. They will stick to their engine and design philosophy and will repeat the success with their next game.

[@sethcaplan859]

In general the quality of products is most determined by culture and policies in place within the company. If Larian decides to rest on their laurels like Bethesda, or if they turn on each other like at Bioware certainly the quality will go down. larger companies are harder to manage but personally i think Larian's quality will likely stay consistent so long as Swen and the other major team leads stay at the company. Also i think BG3 benefitted more from the popularity of DnD5e then the Baldur's Gate brand.

[@silverstrider2046]

Divinity OS 1 and 2 were equally great games that Larian made. BG3 just pushed them into the limelight but their games have been bangers and hopefully will continue to do

[@SaltandDragons]

I absolutely believe that they can pull it of again, I do also believe that there is a risk that it will be the Dark souls 2 situation all over again where fans are expecting something completely different than what is being delivered and yes Ds2 is a good game, I even consider it a better than Ds3.

[@kittydaddy2023]

Yes, they can pull it off again. My only concern would be employee poaching by other companies, but at this point, who would be willing to join a failing AAA studio no matter how much money is involved? Swen understands the importance of a good team and the institutional knowledge that's built up by retaining employees. There's nothing really special about DnD at this point. It used to be a lot more popular back when BG1&2 came out. Let's not forget what happens when good teams lose IP: Mass Effect exists because the KOTOR team lost the Star Wars IP. Dragon Age exists because the team lost the DnD IP. FO: New Vegas exists because the team only retained partial access to the Fallout IP. I'm sure there are many more examples.

[@a.m.pietroschek1972]

Larian is far from out of options! If all else fails, then they can casually-mention monetizing MY ideas of D&D. It will make WotC & Hasbro reconsider A LOT. 🤣

[@00Mk000]

On the technical side of things, there's no doubt Larian will keep nailing it. I'm talking about what they do best: moment-to-moment gameplay (as opposed to the more strategic and thus a bit less tactical of, say, Owlcat); encounter design (Dos 2 and BG3 are among the very best games ever made when it comes to building unique and memorable fights, so much so that anyone can instantly recall and name, at any moment, every single fight in these two games, even after one single playthrough - an achievement no other game can match, in my opinion); immersive sim interactivity. The only banana peel they can slip on concerns social politics. I don't like when someone claims bg3 is "woke", because to be called that way a game needs to be literally shoving down your throat some ideology nonstop (like TLOU2 and Disney Star Wars). BG3 does nothing of the sort: all it does is paying its taxes to the social justiciars by sprinkling some homosexuals and trans here and there, to keep the woke beast at bay and focus on the game itself. This, however, does not mean they will not corrupt as time goes on. What tingled a bit my alarm bell was watching videos on their new Larian Channel From Hell and hearing the voice of nonother than Aoife Wilson, an obnoxious former eurogamer journalist EXTREMELY into political activism and forced diversity in video games. As long as they don't go south on that lane, Larian will keep doing better and better. But if they do......

[@Frencho9]

Every company has its peak. Bethesda peaked with Skyrim (even if I'm a Morrowind diehard fan) and then faltered with Fallout 4. CDPR peaked with the Witcher 3 and then faltered with Cyberpunk. Bioware peaked with Dragon Age Origins and Mass Effect 2 then faltered with DA 2 and Mass Effect 3. Obsidian peaked with Pillars of Eternity and Tyranny and started faltering with Outer Worlds and Avowed. Honestly it's the teams that make great games not the company name, and after 20 years some of these talented folks retire or leave the studios hence the fall in quality, it is only human you can only squeeze about a decade to 15 incredible years from talented workers. Bethesda and Bioware studios are perfect examples, all the talent left a decade ago and became subservient to big corpo suits and pushed political agendas. Larian has some benefits that might save them from faltering and last longer. 1 it is a private dev studio 2 Sven has full control 3 most of the OG talent is still employed. When Sven and the OG devs retire then Larian might start to falter but I think they still have juice for 1 more great game before they are put out to pasture.

[@griffonclaw]

I have no doubt Larian is going to get it right. They take gamer feedback and they make it worthwhile for the gamer to post suggestions or fixes. You know like BioWare USED to do, like Obsidian used to do, like Bethesda used to do. Larian holds no loyalty except to themselves.

[@MinecraftMartin]

If we haven't learned anything from Witcher 3 and CD Project Red, some of you are risking a very rude awakening. A good track record is one bad game release away from a major controversy. Larian's past indicates what they are capable of, not a predictor of future success. If you buy their next game without checking reviews, are you are the type of person who can't handle responsibility for your purchases when things go wrong, it is 100% on you. No, Larian didn't betray you, no it's not marketing's fault. It's 100% on you when you purchase games blindly. We hope Larian can keep it going, of course. Just ... don't forget that things can change, because game development of this scope is incredibly complex. More than 99.9% of gamers realize.

[@CreateR900]

The only way they can “succeed” BG3 is to have another high profile IP, such as Star Wars (unfortunately). I will continue to play all Larian Games though, I don’t mind if it’s a smaller IP

[@Lemurion287]

I am expecting D:OS1 or D:OS2 level of success/quality rather than the BG3 level of perfect storm.

[@tiagobrizida966]

As long as they keep lauching good games is fine by me, some games will be worst than BG3 some better. The old Bioware managed to pull it off, with sucessive amazing games (BG2, Kotor, Neverwinter, JE, DA and Mass effect) so I believe Larian can do the same

[@aromata1]

I think the best thing Larian could do is mostly keep the combat system for future titles. Scrapping/remaking it would be a massive waste of time and money, better to focus on new stories and environments. BG3's combat was really well liked!

[@ns7495]

Two points: A) bg3 used 5th edition rules, which were subject to the licence they bought from wizards of the coast and theres no way wizards is gonna let anyone use them outside dnd licence B) larian devs and swen himself expressed dissatisfaction whit restrictions broght by said ruleset, wieving it as hinderence rather than something that translated Well to digital gaming medium.

[@garolymar]

Love BG3 but honestly, Divinity OS 2 is a better game gameplay wise, imo. So I'm not worried at all. I think whatever they do next (personally hoping for Div OS3) It's going to be a banger with all the stuff they learned developing BG3

[@Kong-kg6ij]

If their next games are just as good then wow.

[@keynanvarnado7592]

The likelihood of the next Larian game being as good as BG3 is low. Sinply because the bar is arguably "greatest game ever made." However, the likelihood Larian's next game will be excellent in its own right is very high. So long as they are indeoendent and maintain their player-friendly policies they'll continue to put out quality.

[@johndeighan2495]

I think BG3 is the best CRPG ever made, yet it still has plenty room for improvement. So I don't see any reason why improving on BG3 should be impossible. Difficult? Yes. But not impossible.

[@noahmcclellan4372]

DOS2 is one of the best rpgs made as well. I think they can do three in a row. They're like Fromsoft, their worst games are still good, their best are all-time greats.

[@Christofer_tTt]

Bethesda made a big mistake by not promoting their talent which was the backbone of their popular games, keeping the Todd / Emil thing alive way past its sell by date. Idk why exactly Todd was put in charge of Morrowind, but whatever combination of factors made that game was perfect. The issue I have is that starting with Fallout 3 through present with Starfield, Emil has been the lead narrative guy and those early games were great and fun in spite of their objectively bad storytelling. FO3, Skyrim had enough side content and lore to almost make up for the bad story but even then not really. Fallout 4 was almost entirely derailed by a poor story. For me it was only saved by incredible content mods a few years a later and plying the game in a different way than intended. Once you find the institute, the game starts to be really bad and not because the ideas are inherently so bad. It’s the poor execution, lack of care of consistency within its own lore and just events logically flowing from one to the next. Far Harbor, was led by Will Shem ( apologize if I have that wrong) best content Beth has put out and they didn’t promote him ? They lost him? Nuka World was incongruent with the story of the base game. Why would you do that? It’s fine to have a certain choice but then you don’t have an alternative ? Well it’s not a choice really then. I can’t speak on Starfield because I was going to wait for DLCs and mods to make it better, but I’ve watched a lot of gameplay videos and stuff and I actually really dislike a few things but at the same time, it has all the ingredients of a fantastic game. It just didn’t have a chef with the vision to make those decisions. If you give players everything with no effort at all, it doesn’t feel good. If you make it obvious it’s all random and a game, it doesn’t feel good.

[@bunkynpaws7369]

The problems with modern games are almost entirely due to developers putting profits above product. The main reason Larian succeed is because they do not seem to follow this trend, despite having Tencent as part-owner. I wouldn't even say that BG3 had a particularly good story, and it certainly had elements that are roundly criticised in Veilguard as "woke", but the overall quality of the game ( and the experience of playing it ) is high, so it succeeds even if it is not perfection for everyone. Bethesda ( as you made this comparison yourself ) on the other hand, do not seem to understand why people loved their games. The several attempts to monetize mods, and the wasted years producing a multi-player fallout shout loudly that Bethesda did not understand why Skyrim was so popular. I don't think their recent single-player games are bad, but they are also not amazing, as their focus is on broadening their revenue-base rather than satisfying their player-base. Unfortunately, this last point is symptomatic of the industry malaise.

[@Mierezkal]

Yes, but only if they're given a LOT of time, because they desperately need it - just see how big of a mess Act 3 of BG3 still is and BG3 took forever to make. I am personally only worried about them pushing politics even harder in their next game seeing how emboldened by BG3's success they are.