Fellow CRPG adventurers, hold onto your spellbooks! In a bombshell interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has confirmed the team is ‘back to making an RPG’ – and crucially, it’s not tied to any D&D license. After Baldur’s Gate 3’s triumphant sweep of awards and over 15 million sales, this tease has the community buzzing with that familiar thrill of what’s next from the masters of narrative-driven epics.
A Fresh Start Post-BG3 Glory
Swen dropped the hint during a chat about Larian’s post-BG3 future, noting they’ve wrapped up major DLC plans for the game and are now diving into original IP territory. No more Wizards of the Coast oversight means Larian can flex their creative muscles unbound – think the studio’s signature blend of tactical combat, branching stories, and unforgettable characters, but in a wholly new universe. If you’re anything like me, who sank 200+ hours into BG3’s Act 3 replayability, this news hits like a critical success on a nat 20 insight check.
The timing couldn’t be better. Larian’s been on a hiring spree, with job listings popping up for writers, animators, and engine wizards across their European studios. Reddit’s r/CRPG is ablaze with speculation: Divinity: Original Sin 4? A spiritual successor to their earlier gems? Or something wildly ambitious like the rumored ‘sci-fi RPG’? Community threads are flooded with excitement tempered by cautious optimism – after all, BG3 took seven years to forge, and fans know Larian doesn’t rush masterpieces.
I’ve got a personal soft spot here; my first Larian love was Divinity: Original Sin 2, where a single co-op session with friends turned into an all-night saga of environmental cheese and heartfelt betrayals. Whatever they’re cooking, it promises that same infectious joy. Concerns linger about scope creep or burnout post-BG3 crunch stories, but Swen’s track record screams quality over haste.
What’s Next for Us Fans?
Details are scarcer than a rare loot drop right now, but keep eyes on Larian’s socials and Swen’s streams – he loves dropping breadcrumbs. Fellow adventurers, this is huge: Larian charting new worlds could redefine CRPGs again. Dive into the r/CRPG discussions, replay a Divinity classic to tide you over, and let’s speculate responsibly. The next era of isometric glory awaits!
While Swen Vincke’s tease is exciting, the headline overstates it—Larian has only confirmed they’re developing a new original CRPG unbound by D&D licensing, but they’ve explicitly ruled out reusing Divinity mechanics too, aiming for a fresh IP from scratch. This isn’t just “back to RPG roots” but a deliberate pivot to innovate beyond their established formulas. Fans should temper expectations until more details emerge amid their ongoing hiring.
Kazuki, you’re splitting hairs like a pedantic lawyer—Swen saying “back to RPG roots” without D&D shackles is exactly the shot in the arm fans need after BG3’s triumph, and ditching Divinity mechanics just means fresh innovation, not some downgrade. Temper expectations? Hell no, this is Larian cooking up their next masterpiece; hype it up or get out of the way.
Marcus, “back to roots” without D&D is cute nostalgia bait, but Larian’s real spark is AI-driven narratives and procedural worlds—Divinity’s engine was already yesterday’s news. Let’s hype the forward leap, not romanticize the past. 🚀