Wizards of the Coast is returning to the Sword Coast, PC Gamer has learned. While Baldur’s Gate 4 is inevitable, ahead of that it looks like we’ll see the resurrection of BioWare’s original games—specifically Baldur’s Gate 2, though from what we’ve heard it’s likely both games are getting the ol’ remake treatment.
Former BioWare developer and Baldur’s Gate 2 co-lead designer Kevin Martens has also returned for the project. Martens has an impressive CV, which includes lead design roles on Jade Empire and Throne of Bhaal, as well as BG2. He also worked on Neverwinter Nights and Mass Effect, before leaving BioWare to join Blizzard in 2009, where he served as lead content designer on Diablo 3.
Conveniently, Martens was already working with WotC again. He’s been contributing to Exodus—the Mass Effect-like RPG—at Archetype Entertainment, which is a subsidiary of WotC.
According to a source familiar with the project, Martens is already working on the Baldur’s Gate 2 remake. If both games are making a comeback—which makes a lot more sense than just the second game, given that it’s a direct continuation of BG1—this suggests that the remakes are being developed concurrently. If that’s the case, and they launch together, that’s an incredible amount of roleplaying on offer.
These are vast, elaborate adventures with hundreds of hours of D&D shenanigans each—taking you on a grand adventure of the Sword Coast and beyond, to the city of Athkatla, the drow-infested Underdark and even other planes. You might need to take some time off work.
This isn’t the first time Baldur’s Gate has been dusted off. Long before Larian started work on Baldur’s Gate 3, Beamdog gave us another excuse to traipse around the Forgotten Realms in the Baldur’s Gate enhanced editions—an impressive pair of remasters.
A remake, though, leaves more room for more dramatic changes. It’s not clear what the extent of the changes will be, but it’s an exciting prospect. If you’re hoping that the OG BGs will suddenly play just like BG3, though, I wouldn’t put all my money on that bet.
BG3 was built in Larian’s proprietary engine, for one. Also, it would be a significant risk to make the classic games pure turn-based affairs—though I’d be perfectly happy with that. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for something that will keep everyone happy: real-time-with-pause battles, with an optional turn-based mode.
I don’t think anyone’s going to be surprised that WotC’s parent company Hasbro is diving back into this well. It’s struggled to capitalise on BG3’s success, not helped by the fact that it laid off almost everyone at the company who worked with Larian on the incredibly successful RPG.
Hasbro also recently cancelled a D&D game from Giant Skull—Stig Asmussen’s studio—after announcing the partnership only last summer. That leaves us with Warlock, an action romp that sounds nothing like Baldur’s Gate.
I think it’s safe to say that we’ll get Baldur’s Gate 4 eventually, but it’s going to take a long time, with any team taking on the mantle needing to start from scratch. Meanwhile, the OG games are just sitting there—stories, characters, quest design, all just waiting to be adapted.
This is not to say that remaking Baldur’s Gate is a simple affair. But it’s certainly simpler—at least on paper—than building an entirely new game.
Unfortunately there’s no word on when we might be able to expect to return to the Forgotten Realms for our repeat adventure. It could still be years away. To use another RPG remake as an example, Virtuos took four years to create Oblivion Remastered (which is more a remake than a remaster).
Hasbro says it won’t comment on rumours, and Kevin Martens did not respond in time for publication. If you have any knowledge of the remakes, feel free to give me a holler at [email protected].
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