Last year, Baldur’s Gate 3 basically took over the entire globe, didn’t it? It was literally everywhere, grabbing a truckload of awards, causing emotional outbursts, and positioning other RPGs beneath its level. So, prepare to toss your dice again, because the CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, indeed declared that their upcoming game, the one based in the Divinity universe, would be “way better.” Just so you know, it is not a rumor. He actually said that. In a talk with Bloomberg, he guaranteed a turn-based RPG that would possess everything the company has presented before but “taken to the next level.” Such a firm statement is not merely self-assurance but also a challenge directed towards their magnum opus. They have set the benchmark incredibly high.
Of course, the declaration was made on social media, and the players’ reactions went from pure excitement to doubt and curiosity. A few people were so happy that they could not hold back until the game was released. One user expressed, “Divinity is gonna be SICK,” while another replied simply, “Way better indeed.” Don’t you think there is a lot of faith there? Larian has gained a massive amount of good faith from the public after the super high quality of BG3. Another gamer expressed it plainly: “That’s a bold thing to say after BG3, but if anyone’s earned the benefit of the doubt, it’s Larian. They’ve got a habit of raising their own bar.” Besides, the company’s trajectory was from the beloved Divinity: Original Sin 2 to the widespread acclaim of BG3. Their path is only going up.
On the other hand, there are always those gamers who will be skeptical and will want to see more than just the hype at face value. One of the responses was “time will tell,” which was very to-the-point and cautious. Another one stressed the unbelievable dimension of the promise: “Crazy considering bg3 is a 9/10 game.” And that is a valid point! To claim that you will surpass an almost perfect experience is a big statement! Plus, there is the reason of the past. One of the comments said, “Larian’s got big shoes to fill,” which is obviously correct. The studio has large shoes to fill, which is probably the most difficult part of it.
The argument became very heated in the replies. A couple of gamers pointed out exactly what they wanted with the new game. One guy mentioned, “Damn it. I wanted a BG2 expansion that really allowed character import/export.” That might be a completely different franchise and time period, but it does highlight how deep and personal the players’ connections to the fantasy worlds are. On the contrary, another gamer took a more philosophical stance as he was contemplating the significance of BG3: “NGL BG3 reminded me why I fell in love with games fr. If they can recreate that spark, I am grateful imo. Joy like that is rare, especially now NGI.” That is the real issue here. It is not only about being better in terms of technology but also about making the magic happen again.
Uh, what was I saying? Oh, yes, the announcement. Vincke’s comment is really interesting as it is ambiguous yet very rich at the same time. “A turn-based RPG featuring everything you’ve seen from us in the past.” Hence, we will likely witness the complex, systemic interactivity of Divinity—you know, the barrel explosions, the elemental surfaces, the creative problem-solving—combined with the exceedingly subtle character writing and cinematic presentation of BG3. He is basically assuring the ultimate combination of Larian’s greatest hits. This is where the “next level” part comes from among the others. Just imagine the environmental storytelling of Fort Joy, only now accompanied by the motion-captured emotional depth of Astarion’s story. Uh-huh.
What is more, there was one more thread in the replies that was slightly off-topic but still very relevant. One user shared his concerns about the use of generative AI and said: “If you are using genAI for early conceptual ideas then human creativity is compromised from the start. I am not going to play.” This is an extremely debated issue within the gaming industry right now, and it is also curious to see it brought up in this context. Larian has not, however, indicated that they will employ AI in that way—their image is built upon laborious, loving detail—but this case shows that players are really wary of that aspect. They want to be assured of the human touch when it comes to this particular studio.
So, where are we now? Super thrilled, but also a bit like, nervously excited. Larian has more or less guaranteed a lot. However, they have been working on the rocket for years, and the thing is the success of BG3 on platforms like PlayStation and Xbox.
