The Developers at Larian Understands That Their New Game Trailer Was Edgy — That's Precisely the Goal.

During a two-week span, a mysterious demonic monolith in the Mojave Desert became the video game community's primary puzzle. Theories reached a fever pitch when a prominent figure posted a photograph of the peculiar statue, implying it was a teaser for a major game unveiling. Gamers everywhere went into overdrive to crack the mystery. Could it be new content for a major series? A long-awaited sequel in an iconic saga?

Simultaneously, the developers at Larian Studios found themselves happily tracking every outlandish theory among themselves. They possessed the answer: it was a teaser for their next project. That forum became the only place they could discuss it, committed by a solemn oath of secrecy. Their dedication to silence was so absolute that they even became swept up in the speculative frenzy.

"I remember I saw people guess that it was *Bloodborne 2*," said the game's lead writer, "And I thought ‘Oh, I wish it is!’ Then it hit me: ‘No, it certainly is not!’"

The mysterious monument created a classic water cooler moment, but it simultaneously raised a pressing question: "Do you ultimately let down people if you create hype?" This dilemma is one Larian Studios must now grapple with as their next RPG draws nearer. Touted as the studio's "largest-scale" title so far, the RPG will have significantly increased scrutiny in the wake of the award-winning success of their prior project, the Game of the Year-winning *Baldur's Gate 3*.

A Homecoming

"I think the key point is that we aim not to disappoint fans," said Larian founder Swen Vincke, addressing concerns over alienating new fans hoping for a direct sequel. "Our belief is that the primary reason they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the core mechanics. That's our special sauce, and it was originated in our original IP. *Divinity* is essentially a return to the foundation of it."

Larian pulled out a cinematic spectacle to get *Baldur's Gate 3* fans interested in *Divinity*. The game's cinematic trailer demonstrated stunning animation, centering around a disturbing scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser included intense imagery, modeled in part on a team member. It was a bold reveal, demonstrating the studio's belief in its next venture.

However, this return to their own series wasn't always the plan. While the studio aimed to return to its original CRPG series in time, they originally envisioned creating a successor to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project closer in spirit to that setting. *Divinity* has been in production for about two years following a significant pivot.

"We were working on a new game set in the world of D&D, using the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," noted Vincke. "We planned to work gradually on *Divinity* afterward. But we realized that our enthusiasm weren't fully committed. We had finished our journey with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so doing another didn't appeal. So we halted that project. That decision fast-tracked everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to begin anew."

Building a New Foundation

Returning to *Divinity* after nearly a decade presented a significant challenge. The team gained vast experience crafting *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke calls the *Divinity* series at a more "evolved level." Now, he claims that the new *Divinity* will be an further evolved version of *Baldur's Gate 3* itself. To pull that off, Larian needed to begin by reworking the setting's lore.

"One of the first things we did was lay the groundwork for a coherent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was historically all over the place," Vincke elaborated. "It was necessary to re-establish it, a process we learned from our work with D&D. Concurrently, we were developing a new engine, so we modified our plans to use it sooner. The engine shift naturally was not as seamlessly as hoped, so we're now nearing the end of a challenging development phase."

Vincke stated that *Divinity* will be a turn-based RPG playable alone or in cooperative multiplayer. It is also a standalone title, even though after the events of previous games. Veteran fans will encounter some returning characters, but prior knowledge is not required. The stated goal is to create a "consistent world where magical things happen because of the choices you make."

The Core Pillar: Player Agency

That final concept is key. When questioned what Larian considers the most important aspect to nail in *Divinity*, Vincke gave a succinct answer: agency. Larian's vision is to craft a richer RPG filled with compelling "interactive systems." This emphasis on deep simulation was a defining feature of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio says it is enhancing that design principle to new heights here.

"A central part of our mantra is 'forge your own path.' So the agency we want to grant you is the riskiest part," Vincke detailed. "There will be systems in there that will make you say, 'Really? It continues? But all I did was this simple thing!' We won't spoil these moments themselves. When I, as a developer discovered we could make these elements, it gave me pure delight. It thrilled my inner player, and that is the feeling I want players to experience when the game releases."

Beyond the deepened focus on player agency, the production of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been instrumental to *Divinity*'s progress. The studio explicitly points out that it gained extensive expertise in narrative design and creating cutscenes from that project, which will be a key focus of the new game.

Building with Player Feedback

The team also analyzed the challenges they encountered during the development of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke points out that onboarding could be tricky in that game due to diverse class rules. To make *Divinity* more approachable from the beginning, Larian set out to "create our own mechanics so we could make it more intuitively designed."

"One clear instance was reactions in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke said. "At first, we were resistant to include them. During early access, the community really, really wanted them. We were concerned it would hinder the gameplay. So we added them in and discovered, well, it's actually better. They had a point! It was a positive moment because it clearly made the game better."

Based on this experience, Larian's fans will be instrumental to *Divinity*'s success. Vincke said that the studio will keep incorporating fan feedback