I think these boards are pretty reliable when it comes to sussing out the potential pitfalls and all the various reasons that a BG4 will probably never get made now
BG4 will most likely get made. Just not by Larian.
WotC isn't likely to let one of their biggest IP's simply sit there gathering dust. SOMEONE will end up getting rights to BG4.
It's quality is the only real question... Many studios simply don't want to work with WotC...
It took what, 6 years to make this one? With 2 of those years in the oven before we even found out what was cooking. A long lead time there.
Yeah... But remember that 3 of those years was the game in EA with them faffing about with Act 1 and rewriting the plot...
Still, 6 years is relatively short as far as game development goes honestly. Takes time to create a solid product (Which is why the rush job on Act 3 is so pronounced in BG3... Half the development time going to Act 1... The other half on both Act 2 and 3...)
Just so it would harmonize and feel like it was building on the same style of play, but it's harder to imagine how another studio could step up when the engine here is proprietary. Like the Wizards own the setting and all the IP, these characters and such are theirs now, but the engine is Larian's.
Engine is irrelevant. There's nothing unique about Larian's engine that makes the game wholly distinct from any other game that could possibly be made... Heck, BG1/2 didn't use that engine in the first place to create the series.
Other engines can work to provide a game that feels like a BG game. The only thing it will lack is Larian's signature "Surfaces" addiction which was homebrewed into the game in the first place (And is as a result subject to much chagrin).
I mean, we see other CRPG games using their own, non-Larian, engines don't we? Kingmaker/WotR/Rogue Trader, Dragon Age, Pillars of Eternity, Spellforce... With many companies simply moving to the new Unreal Engine anyway.
I just wish they didn't have to bail on it, because I think the game has legs.
I'm honestly of the opinion that developers should work on things they want to work on. If your passion isn't in the project, it shows.
BG3 could continue to get support and likely receive more praise and awards... But I don't think it would be Larian's best work. Which is what I want to see. It's what I've wanted to see since I was blown away in Divinity 2. If Larian wants to work on a passion project, I heartily encourage them to do it. Make their game, not the fans game (Which also coincides with my thoughts that they shouldn't sit around working on Act 1 in EA trying to work off of everyone's feedback like they did with Divinity 2 and BG3... Seems to always end with a really polished Act 1 and then later acts are a rush job because they spent half their resources messing with Act 1...)
My guess is their next game will be DOS 3.
If I recall correctly, they said their next project isn't Divinity and that it will be a new IP and they'll return to Divinity afterwards.
They also said this next title will be "Much larger in scope" than BG3... Which gives me concerns given their tendency to only make Act 1 of a game...
