We Should've Realized Baldur's Gate 4 Wasn't Happening Months Ago

The news that won't be getting DLC or a sequel from developer Larian Studios came as a big disappointment to many fans, but when looking at all the facts, it isn't that much of a surprise. This update was delivered at a GDC 2024 panel hosted by Larian, where CEO Swen Vincke clarified that the studio is leaving the license behind to turn its work in other directions. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's hard to imagine any other studio following up with something of equal ambition and quality.

There's obviously plenty that might have indicated that Larian would continue to work on the property, most notably in the smash success that the game saw after releasing out of early access. Classically styled computer RPGs, while still popular, have mostly been something with reasonably niche appeal, so capitalizing on that meteoric rise with more would make sense. Larian also hasn't shied away from continuing to invest in, with a wide array of significant updates that have added a lot of features and fixed even more problems.

Larian Studios has consistently spoken of a positive relationship with Hasbro and its subsidiary Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of, but many of the people who helped establish that relationship are no longer employed by the company. As reported by, Vincke expressed his condolences to staff who were let go by Hasbro in 2023, saying on X (formerly Twitter) that «among the group involved in initial talks. It's a sad contrast to how popular is as it heads into its 50th anniversary and an updated version of fifth edition, which has been a huge success overall.

There's a danger in positioning all the blame on Wizards of the Coast, as Vincke has also clarified in a tweet that the publisher isn't responsible for Larian's decision to step away from . Even if it's not a choice made out of hostile relations, however, it does stand to reason that the studio would be less eager to go back to work with most of its original collaborators gone. The Hasbro