Baldur’s Gate 3 did something very ambitious and rightfully ran away with the biggest plaudits in the gaming industry after its release nearly three years ago. Making the complex, not-cool-enough-for-school Dungeons and Dragons format work in a modern day video game was a masterstroke from Larian.
In many ways, it was the ideal marriage. Larian’s experience with Divinity: Original Sin and its sequel translated perfectly into the D&D world. But then came the amicable divorce, when Larian chose to step away from Baldur’s Gate, leaving Hasbro lovelorn in search of a new partner.
Now, in a new interview with PC Gamer, one of Baldur’s Gate 2’s creative leads has revealed that even he has turned down what is surely one of the most coveted gigs in gaming.
James Ohlen, who was co-lead designer for BG2, told PC Gamer’s Fraser Brown that he had a blunt and clear message for Hasbro, who turned to him once Larian informed them that the studio would instead be focusing on new IPs.
Ohlen says, after being asked what he thought about making BG4, he told Hasbro: “I don’t, I would fail, and here’s why I would fail.”
He said: “I wouldn’t want to compete against that. Doing Exodus is hard enough, but having to compete against Baldur’s Gate 3? That would be insanity.”
‘Half a decade of horror’
After Larian built BG3 in their own engine, Ohlen knew the sequel would need to be done from scratch.
Ohlen also explained that doing so means Baldur’s Gate fans face at least a five-year wait for the sequel.
He added: “We’re talking about at least half a decade of horror, building all that stuff.”
And so, Baldur’s Gate 4 remains in limbo – somewhere between reality and the nine Hells – begging for someone to use a Scroll of Revivify on it before it’s too late.
