Much to the chagrin of Baldur’s Gate 3 fans everywhere, Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke announced the studio does not plan to release any further Baldur’s Gate expansions, DLCs, or future installments.
As reported by IGN, Swen Vincke appeared at the Game Developers Press Conference panel on March 21 and shattered any hope of a Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC or sequel. The team will instead hand off the property back to Dungeons & Dragons owners Wizards of the Coast and continue on to another, unrelated project.
“Baldur’s Gate 3 will always have a warm spot in our hearts,” Vincke said. “We’ll forever be proud of it, but we’re not going to continue it. We’re not going to make new expansions, which everybody is expecting us to do. We’re not going to make Baldur’s Gate 4, which everybody is expecting us to do. We’re going to move on.”
Vincke went on to say Larian Studios is going to distance itself from Dungeons & Dragons entirely and start a “new thing.” It’s not entirely clear what this new project will be, but it’s clear Larian is decisively distancing parting ways with the Wizards of the Coast IP that brought it so much acclaim (and money).
Baldur’s Gate 3 not only won Game of the Year in 2023, but captured the hearts of countless players. As you might imagine, the reactions to this news is largely heartbreak, with fans mourning the loss of potential follow ups. On the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit, comments quickly flooded threads, with several players particularly disappointed that many of the companion character arcs would remain unresolved, in their eyes.
Larian Studios never officially confirmed any Baldur’s Gate 3 spinoffs, either in the form of DLC or future installments, but future adventures were certainly hinted at in the game. The recently added epilogue saw Withers vaguely hint at another incoming threat, while other companions mentioned what sounded like DLC-worthy quests.
Larian’s departure from the beloved franchise also does not mean a follow up is off the table, as Hasbro, owners of Wizard of the Coast, could still look to another developer to continue the series. But if any potential new dev doesn’t roll a nat 20, BG3 fans will be left wondering what might have been.
