Baldur’s Gate 3 fans might be starting their weekend with a piece of bad news, especially those who are hoping for an expansion or DLC.
Swen Vincke, founder of Larian Studios, revealed during his talk at the Game Developers’ Conference that the studio won’t be releasing any major expansions or DLC for Baldur’s Gate 3. They won’t even return to make Baldur’s Gate 4.
“I understand there will be disappointment because people fell in love with what we created but it was a story with a beginning, middle and an end and it doesn’t need more,” Vincke explained on X, formerly known as Twitter.
I understand there will be disappointment because people fell in love with what we created but it was a story with a beginning, middle and an end and it doesn’t need more.
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) March 22, 2024
“Counter expectations but I’ve never been more sure about a strategy shift. This is the right thing for Larian,” he added.
Not all hope is lost, however, because Larian Studios isn’t completely abandoning Baldur’s Gate 3. They still have some plans for the game, such as mod support and other game fixes, but nothing major content-wise.
“Also – we’re not done with updating [Baldur’s Gate 3]. There’s still a bunch of stuff coming like mod support and extra cinematics for some of the endings. Just not new content.”
This move isn’t all that surprising, considering Vincke’s criticism of corporate greed during his acceptance speech at the Game Developers Choice Awards. According to him, all publishers focus on is quarterly profits instead of taking care of employees. Several other guests during the event echoed Vincke’s sentiment and frustration.
Speaking about Larian Studios’ departure from the entire Dungeons & Dragons franchise after Baldur’s Gate 3, Vincke said, “[Baldur’s Gate 3] and its characters . . . now belong to [Wizards of the Coast] . . . I think they understand how important they are for the community. I trust that they’ll be treated with respect.”
What’s interesting, however, is the fact that Larian Studios actually started to work on a Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC before abandoning the project. In an interview with IGN, Vincke revealed that the entire studio understood what was expected from them after the game’s success, but the effort wasn’t “coming from the heart.” He even described his team’s reaction as “elated” after he informed them that they wouldn’t be working on the DLC any further.
“You could see the team was doing it because everyone felt like we had to do it, but it wasn’t really coming from the heart, and we’re very much a studio from the heart.”
When speaking about plans for the studio, Vincke clarified that they won’t be working on any Divinity: Original Sin projects either. Instead, they’ll be working towards a “very big RPG that will dwarf them all.” He clarified during an interview with GameSpot that the studio’s next title won’t be the “very big RPG” yet as he thinks the technology isn’t available yet for the scope he’s planning, but that the next game will bring them closer towards that goal.
If you’re still on the fence about Baldur’s Gate 3, now might be a good time to read our review so you know what to expect from the game. Additionally, if you’re on a PC, make sure your machine can run the game by comparing your build with the minimum system requirements.
