Despite the immense success thatBaldur’s Gate 3has brought Larian Studios, the Belgium-based developer has chosen not to make a sequel for several reasons and has decided that it would be best to focus on new projects. WithBG3making Larian a mainstream success and elevating the studio into being a Game of the Year winner, it leaves quite a void to fill for Wizards of the Coast in its video gaming sector.Baldur’s Gate 4can be given to another studio, but comparisons to Larian will always be made, and it is a tough act to follow.
It is safe to say thatDungeons and Dragonshas grown in popularity astronomically in recent yearsand is probably the biggest it has ever been. Successes likeCritical RoleandBaldur’s Gate 3have helped to elevate it, along with exposure in shows likeStranger Things, and Wizards of the Coast have been wise enough to try to capitalize on the success by releasing a new edition. It could also do what it did previously withBG3to continue riding the wave and bring backNeverwinter Nightsfor a third installment.
Neverwinter Nights Deserves A Sequel
Neverwinter 1 Is Still Being Played To This Day
Neverwinter Nightsis another, legendaryD&Dgame series and is not to be confused with the 1991 online game of the same name. The first title was released in 2002, a couple of years afterBG2, and like the titles in theBaldur’s Gateseries,the game is a CRPG using aD&Druleset. The second title in the series was released in 2006, but the series has been dormant since then, despite the games being well-liked, again like theBaldur’s Gateseries, until Larian brought the franchise back with a bang in 2023.
Neverwinter, the 2013D&DMMORPG, is not a part of theNeverwinter Nightsseries, despite sharing similar names.
AlthoughNeverwinter Nightsshares many similarities with theBaldur’s Gateseries, the biggest change is the locations visited and what the games set out to be. Both are named after cities in the Forgotten Realms and tend to take place around those cities, withNeverwinter Nightsalso being more of a toolkit for people to make modules usingD&D3e. The toolkit functionality is the reason whyNeverwinter Nights: Enhanced Editionis still being played to this day and is probably the second-biggestD&Dgame series behindBaldur’s Gate.
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The change in setting and toolkit functionality could provide the perfect foundation for a newD&Dgame to fill the hole that a potential,Larian-ledBaldur’s Gatesequel has left behind. It won’t beBaldur’s Gate, andthat will help whoever develops this game from being compared too harshly to Larian’s work. There is the chance thatBaldur’s Gate 4could be somewhat of a poisoned chalice because of how bigBG3became, so giving people anotherD&DCRPG without it beingBG4could be the wisest move for Wizards of the Coast.
Obsidian Is The Perfect D&D Developer
They Have Made CRPGs Since Their Founding
Manyfans have cited Obsidian as a worthy developer to take the reins from Larianas the nextBaldur’s Gatedeveloper, since the studio is known for great RPGs and has been making CRPGs since its founding. It would be an even better choice for Wizards of the Coast ifAvowed, Obsidian’s big, upcoming RPG, comes good on its promises, but the studio has already worked onD&Dbefore withNeverwinter Nights.It worked alongside Bioware to make both games, and letting Obsidian continue its work with a sequel feels natural.
With Bioware not quite having the reputation it once did, especially from a writing perspective,Obsidian should take the helm if aNeverwinter Nights3is ever made. It has been a long time sinceNeverwinter Nights 2, but Obsidian did develop that game, and if it continues to show it can make great titles withAvowed,Neverwinter Nights 3would be an almost guaranteed success. It would also avoid some of the comparisons withBaldur’s Gate 3thanks to being a different series, while also scratching the same itch.
Neverwinter Nights 1came to modern consoles in 2019 with itsEnhanced Edition.
Obsidian has shown competency with CRPGs through thePillars of Eternityseries, but that world is going to be used forAvowed,so the studio doesn’t have an ongoing CRPG series at the moment.Neverwinter Nightscould be that for them, working out perfectly for both Obsidian and Wizards of the Coasts. To make it even more different toBG3, the new game could even be a real-time title, rather than turn-based, or even both, likePillars of Eternity 2, giving the newNeverwinter Nightsa retro feel with modern graphical fidelity.
Neverwinter Nights 3 Might Be Better Than Baldur’s Gate 4
There Are A Few Advantages It Would Have Over BG4
The problem withBaldur’s Gateis that modern fans will associate it with Larian and the way that the studio makes its games.Baldur’s Gate 3is still so big, and Larian’s DNA is all over it, from the whimsical and heart-felt writing to the sometimes outrageous humor. A new studio would have to take over, and it would be such a difficult task tolive up toBaldur’s Gate 3. Anything short ofBG3’s quality would illicit immediate comparisons and likely get far more hate than it would deserve.BG4will probably suffer fromBG3’s success.
AlthoughBaldur’s Gate 3is the biggestD&Dgame out there, thanks to Larian’s work, the studio won’t be making a sequel, making the next title a potentially impossible task for another studio.
Neverwinter Nightshasn’t been touched in almost two decades, and a modern audience wouldn’t care too much about comparing a new game to its predecessors.There will always be comparisons ofBG3with any CRPG that usesD&D’s systems, butNeverwinter Nights 3willbe able to useD&D2024, a new system that would help separate this potential sequel fromBG3. IfNeverwinter Nights 3follows the first game’s example, and acts as a toolkit forD&D2024, it could be a perfect way to have a large audience play the new system.
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With Baldur’s Gate 3 mod support now available on console, players have more freedom to experiment with additional spell content than ever before.
AlthoughBaldur’s Gate 3is the biggestD&Dgame out there, thanks to Larian’s work, the Belgium-based studio won’t be making a sequel, making the next title a potentially impossible task for another studio.Neverwinter Nights, on the other hand, doesn’t have this issue, and is currently in a similar place to theBaldur’sGateseries before a sequel was announced. With a newD&Dsystem, the right studio, and the budgetBG3was given,Neverwinter Nights 3could emulate the success of Larian’s golden goose.
