Baldur's Gate 4 Without Larian: Who Should Continue the Saga?

In the near future, Hasbro, the owner of the Dungeons & Dragons license, will reveal its plans for the future of Baldur's Gate. While an announcement for the fourth installment isn't expected just yet, given the astronomical sales of Baldur's Gate 3, a continuation is undoubtedly in the works. However, Larian Studios has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to collaborate with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast again. This raises an important question — who will take on Baldur's Gate 4? Let's explore the top candidates.

Obsidian Entertainment’s founder, Feargus Urquhart, has previously shown interest in Baldur's Gate, but was turned down by the rights holders. Wizards of the Coast sought revolutionary concepts and ideas, and were not afraid to reject pitches from even renowned studios like Obsidian if they weren’t sufficiently impressive.

Today, the situation is entirely different. In the 2000s, Hasbro was in no rush to release Baldur's Gate 3, but now, as they say, it's time to strike while the iron is hot. If Obsidian expresses renewed interest in the franchise, there's a possibility that Urquhart will receive a positive response this time around.

That said, some fans feel that Obsidian is no longer the legendary studio it once was, citing talent drain as a factor affecting its potential. While this concern isn’t entirely unfounded, the studio still boasts veterans like Josh Sawyer, Leonard Boyarsky, and Tim Cain. Additionally, John Gonzalez, the lead writer of the critically acclaimed Fallout: New Vegas, recently rejoined the company.

The main reason Hasbro might hesitate to work with Obsidian is Microsoft. The owners of Baldur's Gate would likely prefer to strike a deal with an independent developer rather than share a significant portion of the profits with a corporate giant like Microsoft, which owns Obsidian. On the other hand, Microsoft might be willing to make serious concessions if the idea of Baldur's Gate 4 launching on Game Pass seems lucrative enough.

Another Microsoft-owned studio that could potentially deliver a worthy Baldur's Gate 4. Interestingly, InXile's founder, Brian Fargo, much like Feargus Urquhart, previously attempted to acquire the Baldur's Gate license but was also unsuccessful. However, this was long before the release of the excellent Wasteland 3.

Today, no one doubts InXile’s capabilities. Wasteland 3 is often regarded as a post-apocalyptic version of Baldur's Gate 3, featuring 3D graphics, turn-based combat, co-op support, and — most importantly — complex quests with multiple outcomes, well-written dialogues, and memorable characters.

The indie RPG developers behind Solasta: Crown of the Magister arguably have the deepest understanding of Dungeons & Dragons among all contenders. Unlike Larian, which modified many aspects of the D&D 5th Edition ruleset, Tactical Adventures managed to adapt them faithfully to a video game format without significant compromises.

The only issue is that, in terms of storytelling, Solasta falls short of BG3 and other popular CRPGs. However, judging by the demo of its sequel, the studio has made significant strides in this area. The production quality of Solasta 2 is also notably higher than its predecessor. While it may not match Baldur’s Gate 3, for a much smaller team, the effort is highly commendable.

If their new project succeeds and the team expands, Tactical Adventures could be an ideal replacement for Larian — at least if the goal is to create a sequel that stays true to the spirit of BG3.

At first glance, this seems like an unusual choice. After all, Firaxis is primarily known for strategy and tactical games rather than RPGs. However, their recent Marvel's Midnight Suns suggests they could handle a role-playing adventure. The superhero game features numerous social interactions between characters, delivered with a charming and heartfelt touch. Additionally, Firaxis undoubtedly excels in engaging turn-based combat.

If the previous option is debatable, choosing Owlcat as the developer of Baldur's Gate 4 seems like the most logical choice. The hit RPG Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is not only one of the few games that can rival BG3 in quality but even surpasses Larian's title in terms of storytelling.

However, it’s not that simple. Based on their past games, it’s clear that Owlcat would excel at making a Baldur's Gate game in the style of the classic installments. But could they create a true D&D sandbox with an interactive world and vertical level design — features that made BG3 so impressive? That remains an open question.

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Regardless of which developers take on Baldur's Gate 4, when the time for an official announcement comes, fans should remain objective and avoid premature criticism. Let’s not forget how skeptical people were when Larian was chosen to develop the sequel — many die-hard fans of the original games were displeased that BG3 wouldn't resemble its predecessors. And yet, the final product won over millions of players despite the initial backlash.

What do you think? Which company should take over the franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments.