The breakout success of Baldur's Gate 3 was a relief to those who had spent so much time invested in the game's early access, and though the consistent patches and updates from developer Larian Studios have given it unparalleled longevity for the CRPG, the studio is already focusing on its next work.
While accepting a Special Recognition Award during the 2024 SEA Game Awards, Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke hinted that the development team's next game will come out around 2028 or 2029, per Gamevro. Though this may seem like a significant lead time, it's actually impressively soon, given the size and scope of Larian's previous games.
Larian has already confirmed that its next game DLC produced - and it seems like the studio has already made some significant headway on its next release.
Larian Studios' Release Timeline Suggests It's Well Into Its Next Project
Details On Its Next Release Are Still Sparse
During the speech, Vincke quickly backtracked his rough release timeline for the studio's next game, reassuring the audience that the studio will "release it when it's ready," meaning fans shouldn't start the countdown just yet. Putting out a title to follow one of the best-loved games of 2023 is a big step, and though the CEO itted the company is feeling the pressure, it seems much of its team is already dedicated to working on the next project.
What’s Next For Baldur’s Gate 3?
With the success of Baldur's Gate 3 as 2023's Game of The Year, can players expect future DLC or content updates for this brilliant RPG experience?
For reference, GTA 6, the long-awaited successor to GTA 5, was announced in December 2023 after years of leaks and rumors suggesting significant progress behind the scenes at Rockstar Games. The game's development studio is currently on track to release it during Fall 2025, providing a two-year gap between announcement and release. If Larian's proposed timeline stays true, players could learn what the next project is by 2026 - or earlier, if it chooses to do an early access period.
Early access for Baldur's Gate 3 started in October 2020, about three years before the game's official release. Since Larian has remained dedicated to creating large and well-developed games, using player as a tool in the development process, the studio's next big project could be unveiled even sooner.
This Could Mean Baldur's Gate 3 Patches Take A Backseat Soon
Larian Studios Has A Small Team Still Dedicated To The CRPG
The recently-released plenty of new evil endings for Dark Urge origin players and additions to Wyll's romance. It's been more than a year since the game's full launch, and though Larian has confirmed it still has a small team dedicated to its updates, these will likely be fewer and far between as this next project inches closer.
Larian Studios is set on moving away from Dungeons & Dragons content, but if its previous releases, Divinity Original Sin and Divinity Original Sin 2, are any indication of what the developer is capable of, I have no doubts that the next game will have a similarly impressive size and scope. That said, Baldur's Gate 3 players (myself included) may just have to rely on mods and custom content to keep the game feeling fresh as Larian shifts its focus away from the award-winning title.
Source: Gamevro
