During a two-week span, an enigmatic sinister monolith in the Mojave Desert stood as the video game community's biggest mystery. Theories intensified dramatically when an industry producer posted a photograph of the curious statue, making it clear it was a teaser for a major game reveal. Online communities sprang into action to decipher the mystery. Was it 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 amusedly discussing every outlandish theory internally. They alone knew the answer: it was a teaser for their next project. This space was the sole place they could talk about it, sworn by a solemn oath of secrecy. Their resolve to silence was so total that they themselves got caught up in the public excitement.
"I remember I saw people guess that it was *Bloodborne 2*," explained *Divinity's* writing director, "And I was like ‘Oh, I hope it is!’ And then I realized: ‘No, it definitely is not!’"
This marketing stunt made for a perfect shared mystery, but it also raised a important question: "Is it possible to end up disappointing people if you create excitement?" This query is one Larian Studios will address as their next RPG draws nearer. Billed as the studio's "largest-scale" game yet, the RPG can expect far more scrutiny in the wake of the award-winning success of their last project, the celebrated *Baldur's Gate 3*.
Going Back to the Source
"I think the most important factor is that we aim not to disappoint fans," commented Larian founder Swen Vincke, when asked about concerns over alienating new fans anticipating a direct sequel. "We think that the primary reason they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the interactive experience. That is our special sauce, and it has its origins in our original IP. *Divinity* is essentially a return to the foundation of it."
Larian unveiled the red carpet to excite *Baldur's Gate 3* fans interested in *Divinity*. Its reveal trailer flaunted high production value, centering around a disturbing scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser featured graphic imagery, designed in part on a team member. It was a confident reveal, showing the studio's faith in its next project.
However, this return to their own series was not originally the plan. Although the studio planned to return to its flagship CRPG series sooner or later, they originally envisioned creating a successor to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project closer in spirit to that world. The current project has only been production for about a couple of years following a major shift in plans.
"We were developing a new game set in the world of D&D, using the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," said Vincke. "We planned to work gradually on *Divinity* afterward. But we saw that our hearts lay elsewhere. We wrapped up our work with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so doing another didn't appeal. So we halted that project. That decision accelerated everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to begin anew."
Building a New Foundation
Returning to *Divinity* since the last main entry posed a considerable challenge. The team gained immense experience making *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke describes as the *Divinity* series at a more "evolved level." Now, he states that the new *Divinity* will be an still more evolved version of its predecessor. To achieve this, Larian needed to begin by overhauling the world's foundation.
"One of the first things we did was start to build a consistent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was previously all over the place," Vincke explained. "It was necessary to resolidify it, a process we learned from our work with D&D. At the same time, we were developing a new engine, so we adapted our plans to use it sooner. This transition obviously was not as smoothly as anticipated, so we're now nearing the end of a complicated technical overhaul."
Vincke stated that *Divinity* will be a tactical RPG playable alone or in cooperative multiplayer. It is also a standalone title, even though after the events of the last major entry. Longtime fans will spot some returning characters, but prior knowledge is not necessary. The stated goal is to create a "grounded world where magical things occur because of player agency."
Ambition Rooted in Choice
That final concept is crucial. When questioned what Larian believes is the most important element to nail in *Divinity*, Vincke gave a succinct answer: agency. Larian's vision is to craft a more complex RPG filled with compelling "gameplay mechanics." This emphasis on meaningful choice was a cornerstone of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio states it is pushing that design principle more aggressively here.
"A central part of our design pillar is 'write your own legend.' So the agency we want to give you is the boldest part," Vincke explained. "We are implementing sequences in there that will lead you to exclaim, 'Really? It continues? But all I did was a minor choice!' We aren't going to tell these connections themselves. When we, during testing realized we could connect these elements, it gave me great joy. It excited my inner player, and that is the emotion I want you to feel when the game launches."
In addition to the deepened focus on player agency, the development of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been crucial to *Divinity*'s design. The studio explicitly points out that it gained extensive experience in writing and creating cinematics from that project, which will be a central element of the new game.
A Collaborative Development Philosophy
The team also reflected on the challenges they faced during the development of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke observes that onboarding could be tricky in that game due to diverse class rules. To make *Divinity* more user-friendly from the start, Larian aimed to "create our own mechanics so we could make it more streamlined for play."
"One clear instance was reactions in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke recalled. "Initially, we were resistant to include them. Midway through early access, the community strongly requested them. We worried it would interrupt the gameplay. Eventually, we added them in and realized, well, it's actually better. They had a point! It was a positive moment because it undeniably made the game better."
With this in mind, Larian's fans will be pivotal to *Divinity*'s development. Vincke confirmed that the studio will keep taking into account fan feedback
