Over two weeks, a puzzling otherworldly monolith in the Mojave Desert was the gaming world's biggest mystery. Theories kicked into high gear when an industry producer published an image of the curious statue, making it clear it was a teaser for a significant game announcement. Online communities raced to solve the riddle. Was it new content for a major series? The next chapter in a beloved series?
At the same time, the developers at Larian Studios found themselves amusedly discussing every wild theory internally. They held the answer: it was a teaser for their next project. That forum became the sole place they could talk about it, sworn by a solemn oath of secrecy. Their resolve to silence was so absolute that they even became swept up in the growing hype.
"I had a moment where I saw people guess that it was a sequel to *Bloodborne*," explained the game's writing director, "And I was like ‘Oh, I wish it is!’ And then I realized: ‘No, it certainly is not!’"
The statue created a great topic of conversation, but it also provoked a pressing question: "Do you ultimately let down people if you create hype?" This concern is one Larian Studios must now address as their next RPG continues development. Billed as the studio's "biggest and boldest" title so far, the RPG can expect significantly increased attention in the wake of the award-winning success of their previous project, the Game of the Year-winning *Baldur's Gate 3*.
A Homecoming
"I think the most important factor is that we aim not to disappoint fans," stated Larian founder Swen Vincke, addressing concerns over losing new fans anticipating a direct sequel. "We are confident that the main draw they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the interactive experience. That is our proven method, and it was originated in our original IP. This project is essentially heading back to the foundation of it."
Larian unveiled all the stops to get *Baldur's Gate 3* fans curious about *Divinity*. The game's cinematic trailer demonstrated stunning animation, depicting a nightmarish scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser included visceral imagery, created in part on a developer. It was a bold reveal, showing the studio's belief in its next venture.
However, a new *Divinity* was not initially the plan. While the studio planned to return to its original CRPG series eventually, they first envisioned creating a successor to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project more familiar to that world. The current project has been in active development for about a couple of years following a significant shift in plans.
"We were developing a new game set in the world of D&D, built on the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," noted Vincke. "Our intention was to take our time 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. This move fast-tracked everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to build from the ground up."
Forging a Coherent World
Revisiting *Divinity* since the last main entry was a considerable challenge. The team gained immense experience developing *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke refers to as the *Divinity* series at a more "evolved level." Now, he says that the new *Divinity* will be an even more evolved version of its predecessor. To pull that off, Larian had to begin by re-solidifying the game's universe.
"One of the first things we did was start to build a consistent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was in the past all over the place," Vincke explained. "We had to give it a firm base, a process we learned from our work with D&D. Simultaneously, we were developing a new engine, so we modified our plans to implement it sooner. The engine shift predictably was not as seamlessly as anticipated, so we're now concluding a complicated transition period."
Vincke clarified that *Divinity* will be a turn-based RPG playable alone or in cooperative multiplayer. It is also a self-contained title, even though after the events of previous games. Longtime fans will encounter some familiar characters, but prior knowledge is not necessary. The objective is to create a "believable world where magical things occur because of your actions."
Ambition Rooted in Choice
This last point is key. When questioned what Larian views as the most important thing to perfect in *Divinity*, Vincke offered a single-word answer: agency. Larian's goal is to craft a deeper RPG packed with compelling "interactive systems." This focus on meaningful choice was a cornerstone of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio states it is expanding that design principle to new heights here.
"A central part of our philosophy is 'forge your own path.' So the control we want to provide you is the most ambitious part," Vincke said. "There will be systems in there that will make you say, 'Really? It keeps going? But all I did was a minor choice!' We want players to discover these connections themselves. When I, as a developer realized we could connect these choices, it brought me great joy. It thrilled my gamer heart, and that's the emotion I want you to feel when the game comes out."
Beyond the enhanced focus on player agency, the development of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been crucial to *Divinity*'s evolution. The studio specifically points out that it gained valuable expertise in writing and creating cutscenes from that project, which will be a major focus of the new game.
Learning from the Community
The team also reflected on the difficulties they faced during the making of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke observes that onboarding could be daunting in that game due to varied class rules. To make *Divinity* more accessible from the beginning, Larian aimed to "define our own mechanics so we could make it more streamlined for play."
"A prime example was reactive mechanics in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke recalled. "At first, we didn't want to include them. During early access, the community strongly requested them. We worried it would slow down the gameplay. So we implemented them in and saw, well, it's truly better. They had a point! It was a positive moment because it significantly made the game better."
Based on this experience, Larian's player base will be instrumental to *Divinity*'s final form. Vincke said that the studio will continue using fan feedback
