The Developers at Larian Is Well Aware That Their New Game Trailer Was Pushing It — And That's Exactly the Intent.

During a two-week span, an enigmatic sinister monolith located in the Mojave Desert was the gaming world's primary puzzle. Conjecture kicked into high gear when a prominent figure published an image of the peculiar statue, making it clear it was a teaser for a major game announcement. The internet sprang into action to solve the riddle. Might it signal new content for a major series? A long-awaited sequel in an iconic saga?

At the same time, the developers at Larian Studios were amusedly discussing every outlandish theory internally. They possessed the answer: it was a teaser for the new *Divinity* title. This space served as the exclusive place they could mention it, bound by a solemn oath of secrecy. Their dedication to silence was so absolute that they even got caught up in the growing hype.

"I remember seeing people speculate that it was *Bloodborne 2*," explained *Divinity's* lead writer, "And I was like ‘Oh, I wish it is!’ And then I realized: ‘No, it certainly is not!’"

The mysterious monument created a classic shared mystery, but it simultaneously sparked a important question: "Can you end up disappointing people if you build hype?" This query is one Larian Studios will address as *Divinity* approaches. Touted as the studio's "largest-scale" title so far, the RPG can expect a lot more attention following the award-winning success of their last project, the critically adored *Baldur's Gate 3*.

Going Back to the Source

"I think the most important factor is that we have no desire to disappoint fans," said Larian founder Swen Vincke, addressing concerns over losing new fans anticipating a direct sequel. "We think that the main draw they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the core mechanics. That is our proven method, and it was originated in the *Divinity* series. The new game is essentially a return to the roots of it."

Larian unveiled the red carpet to enthuse *Baldur's Gate 3* fans excited for *Divinity*. Its cinematic trailer showcased stunning animation, centering around a nightmarish scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser featured graphic imagery, designed in part on a developer. It was a confident reveal, signaling the studio's faith in its next venture.

However, a new *Divinity* was not originally the plan. While the studio intended to revisit its flagship CRPG series eventually, they originally envisioned following up to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project more directly related to that universe. *Divinity* has been in active development for about two years following a major pivot.

"We were working on a new game set in the world of D&D, built on the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," explained Vincke. "Our intention was to work gradually on *Divinity* later. But we saw that our hearts weren't fully committed. We wrapped up our work with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so jumping into a sequel wasn't what we wanted. So we stopped that project. This move fast-tracked everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to begin anew."

Building a New Foundation

Returning to *Divinity* after nearly a decade was a significant challenge. The team learned vast experience developing *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke refers to as the *Divinity* series at a more "refined level." Now, he says that the new *Divinity* will be an further evolved version of its predecessor. To pull that off, Larian needed 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 historically all over the place," Vincke elaborated. "It was necessary to give it a firm base, a process we learned from our work with D&D. Concurrently, we were building a new engine, so we adapted our plans to leverage it sooner. That process predictably did not go as seamlessly as expected, so we're now nearing the end of a challenging technical overhaul."

Vincke stated that *Divinity* will be a tactical RPG playable solo or in cooperative multiplayer. It is also a standalone title, even though after the events of previous games. Longtime fans will spot some familiar characters, but prior knowledge will not be required. The aim is to create a "consistent world where magical things occur because of your actions."

The Core Pillar: Player Agency

That final concept is crucial. When asked what Larian believes is the most important element to nail in *Divinity*, Vincke gave a single-word answer: agency. Larian's vision is to craft a more complex RPG filled with intricate "gameplay mechanics." This focus on meaningful choice was a key ingredient of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio says it is enhancing that design principle to new heights here.

"One of our philosophy is 'write your own legend.' So the freedom we want to provide you is the boldest part," Vincke explained. "There will be sequences in there that will make you say, 'Really? It keeps going? But all I did was one small action!' We won't spoil these possibilities themselves. When I, as a developer saw we could link these choices, it brought me great joy. It excited my gamer heart, and that's the emotion I want players to have when the game comes out."

In addition to the deepened focus on player agency, the creation of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been crucial to *Divinity*'s evolution. The studio explicitly points out that it gained significant knowledge in narrative design and producing in-game story moments from that project, which will be a key focus of the new game.

Learning from the Community

The team also reflected on the challenges they encountered during the creation of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke points out that onboarding could be challenging in that game due to complex class rules. To make *Divinity* more accessible from the start, Larian set out to "create our own rulesets so we could make it more video game friendly."

"One clear instance was opportunity attacks in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke said. "At first, we didn't want to include them. Midway through early access, the community insisted on them. We were concerned it would hinder the gameplay. So we added them in and realized, well, it's truly better. They had a point! It was a good moment because it significantly made the game better."

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