Baldur’s Gate 3 is now one of the most successful RPGs in gaming history. The game has sold millions of copies and won multiple awards. But before Larian Studios came in and saved the day for the franchise and us, the fans, Baldur’s Gate faced an uncertain future.
Veteran RPG designer Chris Avellone was worried about the idea of a new Baldur’s Gate game. Known for his work on Planescape: Torment and Fallout: New Vegas, Avellone was part of the development of the canceled Baldur’s Gate 3: The Black Hound and it left him doubtful about whether the next game in the series could live up to expectations. Seven years later, we can say that it did. Larian Studios knocked it out of the park.
Baldur’s Gate 3 was very different back then
Before Larian Studios took over the franchise, another version of Baldur’s Gate 3 was in development at Black Isle Studios. Titled The Black Hound, this iteration was meant to continue the legacy of BioWare’s original games but ultimately never saw completion. Chris Avellone, who was involved in the project, admitted that he struggled to get excited about it.
Yes. I worked on Baldur’s Gate 3 (the one by Black Isle Studios), but it didn’t share much in common with the original franchise, so even though I was working on it, it was difficult to get as excited about it as the Baldur’s Gate franchise itself.
Back in 2018, Avellone spoke to PCGamesN and noted that the game’s story, characters, and overall direction felt disconnected from what made the Baldur’s Gate series special. He noted that he was scared it would make it difficult for both developers and potential players to embrace it as a true sequel. That version of the game never came out, so we’ll never know.
For years, the idea of a true Baldur’s Gate 3 felt like a fantasy. Avellone believed fans still wanted closure in the form of a trilogy, but he also acknowledged that delivering a worthy sequel was an immense challenge. Many RPGs attempted to capture Baldur’s Gate’s magic, yet few truly succeeded. Even games Avellone worked on, like Pillars of Eternity, struggled to replicate the charm of BioWare’s classics.
In 2023, Larian Studios changed the RPG genre forever
Despite Avellone’s past concerns, Larian Studios defied all expectations with Baldur’s Gate 3. The game became a cultural phenomenon, bringing CRPGs back into the mainstream. The studio leveraged its experience from Divinity: Original Sin 2 and used an Early Access model to fine-tune the game over three years.
Larian’s gamble on Baldur’s Gate 3 paid off massively, both critically and financially. The game won multiple Game of the Year awards in 2023. By the end of 2024, it had sold over 15 million copies and generated approximately $260 million in profit (via IGN), cementing itself as one of the most successful RPGs in history.
Larian’s approach to Baldur’s Gate 3 is a masterclass in RPG development. Larian prioritized this because, without the constraints of publishers demanding microtransactions or rushed deadlines, the devs could focus on making a game that resonated with players. Swen Vincke told us all about it in his The Game Awards 2024 speech.
Baldur’s Gate 3‘s success may be difficult to replicate, but it does provide valuable lessons for the industry. Looking back, it’s remarkable how close the Baldur’s Gate franchise came to fading into obscurity. Thanks to Larian Studios’ dedication and expertise, the franchise didn’t just survive, it’s back and thriving.
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