During a two-week span, a mysterious demonic monolith sitting within the Mojave Desert became the gaming world's greatest enigma. Speculation reached a fever pitch when a prominent figure shared a picture of the strange statue, hinting it was a teaser for an upcoming game unveiling. Gamers everywhere raced to decipher the riddle. Could it be new content for a major series? The next chapter in an iconic saga?
At the same time, the creative minds at Larian Studios found themselves happily sharing every wild theory in a private channel. They held the answer: it was a teaser for their upcoming game. This space was the exclusive place they could discuss it, sworn by a solemn oath of secrecy. Their commitment to silence was so absolute that they even were captivated in the speculative frenzy.
"I remember I saw people theorize that it was a sequel to *Bloodborne*," recalled *Divinity's* lead writer, "And I thought ‘Oh, I hope it is!’ And then I realized: ‘No, it definitely is not!’"
The statue provided a perfect shared mystery, but it simultaneously raised a critical question: "Is it possible to end up disappointing people if you generate anticipation?" This concern is one Larian Studios will confront as their next RPG approaches. Touted as the studio's "biggest and boldest" game yet, the RPG is going to attract significantly increased eyes in the wake of the phenomenal success of their prior project, the critically adored *Baldur's Gate 3*.
A Homecoming
"I think the biggest thing is that we don't want to disappoint fans," said Larian founder Swen Vincke, addressing concerns over alienating new fans anticipating a direct sequel. "We think that the core appeal they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the core mechanics. That's our formula, and it has its origins in our original IP. This project is essentially heading back to the origins of it."
Larian rolled out a cinematic spectacle to get *Baldur's Gate 3* fans interested in *Divinity*. Its announcement trailer showcased stunning animation, featuring a nightmarish scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser was packed with visceral imagery, designed in part on a team member. It was a confident reveal, showing the studio's faith in its next game.
However, a new *Divinity* was not initially the plan. While the studio intended to return to its original CRPG series sooner or later, they originally wanted to following up to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project closer in spirit to that setting. *Divinity* has been in active development for about a couple of years following a significant pivot.
"Initially, we were developing a new game set in the world of D&D, using the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," explained Vincke. "We planned to take our time on *Divinity* subsequently. But we saw that our hearts weren't fully committed. We wrapped up our work with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so jumping into a sequel wasn't what we wanted. So we stopped that project. That decision accelerated everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to build from the ground up."
Building a New Foundation
Returning to *Divinity* since the last main entry posed a considerable challenge. The team acquired tremendous experience making *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke refers to as the *Divinity* series at a more "advanced level." Now, he states that the new *Divinity* will be an still more evolved version of *Baldur's Gate 3* itself. To accomplish that, Larian had to begin by reworking the world's foundation.
"One of the first things we did was lay the groundwork for a coherent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was historically all over the place," Vincke elaborated. "It was necessary to resolidify it, a process we mastered during our work with D&D. Concurrently, we were developing a new engine, so we adapted our plans to implement it sooner. That process naturally was not as seamlessly as anticipated, so we're now concluding a challenging transition period."
Vincke confirmed that *Divinity* will be a turn-based RPG that can be played solo or in co-op multiplayer. It is also a self-contained title, despite being set after the events of the last major entry. Veteran fans will encounter some returning characters, but experience with the older games will not be essential. The aim is to create a "consistent world where fantastic things happen because of the choices you make."
Giving Players the Reins
The idea of player impact is paramount. When asked what Larian views as the most important aspect to nail in *Divinity*, Vincke gave a succinct answer: agency. Larian's goal is to craft a deeper RPG packed with engaging "video game systems." This commitment to meaningful choice was a key ingredient of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio says it is pushing that philosophy to new heights here.
"One of our mantra is 'write your own legend.' So the agency we want to grant you is the boldest part," Vincke explained. "We are implementing reactions in there that will lead you to exclaim, 'Really? It reacts? But all I did was this simple thing!' We aren't going to tell these moments themselves. When we, during testing discovered we could connect these elements, it gave me great joy. It thrilled my inner player, and that's the sensation I want you to experience when the game releases."
Beyond the deepened focus on player agency, the production of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been crucial to *Divinity*'s evolution. The studio specifically notes that it learned extensive expertise in narrative design and producing in-game story moments from that project, which will be a major element of the new game.
A Collaborative Development Philosophy
The team also examined the difficulties they encountered during the making of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke observes that introducing new players could be challenging in that game due to diverse class rules. To make *Divinity* more approachable from the beginning, Larian decided to "create our own rulesets so we could make it more streamlined for play."
"A prime example was opportunity attacks in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke said. "At first, we were resistant to include them. During early access, the community strongly requested them. We worried it would slow down the gameplay. So we added them in and saw, well, it's actually better. They had a point! It was a great moment because it significantly made the game better."
Based on this experience, Larian's community will be instrumental to *Divinity*'s final form. Vincke confirmed that the studio will keep incorporating fan feedback
