Larian Studios Knows That Divinity Trailer Was Pushing It — That's Exactly the Intent.

Over two weeks, a mysterious sinister monolith in the Mojave Desert stood as the gaming world's primary puzzle. Conjecture intensified dramatically when an industry producer shared an image of the strange statue, making it clear it was a teaser for a major game reveal. Online communities sprang into action to solve the riddle. Could it be new content for a popular franchise? The next chapter in an iconic saga?

Meanwhile, the developers at Larian Studios found themselves amusedly sharing every outlandish theory internally. They possessed the answer: it was a teaser for their next project. That forum became the exclusive place they could discuss it, bound by a strict oath of secrecy. Their commitment to silence was so total that they themselves were captivated in the public excitement.

"I had a moment where I saw people speculate that it was a sequel to *Bloodborne*," recalled *Divinity's* lead writer, "And I was like ‘Oh, I wish it is!’ Then I remembered: ‘No, it certainly is not!’"

The statue created a classic water cooler moment, but it simultaneously sparked a pressing question: "Is it possible to end up disappointing people if you create anticipation?" This dilemma is one Larian Studios is about to grapple with as *Divinity* approaches. Described as the studio's "most ambitious" title so far, the RPG will have far more attention after the award-winning success of their prior project, the critically adored *Baldur's Gate 3*.

Going Back to the Source

"I believe the key point is that we aim not to disappoint fans," said Larian founder Swen Vincke, when asked about concerns over losing new fans expecting a direct sequel. "Our belief is that the primary reason they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the core mechanics. That is our formula, and it first took shape in the *Divinity* games. The new game is essentially going back to the foundation of it."

Larian unveiled all the stops to excite *Baldur's Gate 3* fans excited for *Divinity*. Its announcement trailer showcased blockbuster polish, depicting a horrific scene reminiscent of certain cult films. The teaser was packed with graphic imagery, designed in part on a team member. It was a confident reveal, demonstrating the studio's confidence in its next game.

However, this return to their own series was not originally the plan. Although the studio intended to return to its original CRPG series sooner or later, they originally envisioned creating a successor to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project closer in spirit to that universe. *Divinity* has been in production for about a couple of years following a major pivot.

"Initially, we were developing a new game based in the world of D&D, built on the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," explained Vincke. "Our intention was to take our time on *Divinity* later. But we felt that our hearts weren't fully committed. We had finished our journey with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so jumping into a sequel wasn't what we wanted. So we stopped that project. That decision fast-tracked everything for *Divinity*, which left us in a position where we had to start from scratch."

Building a New Foundation

Revisiting *Divinity* since the last main entry was a daunting challenge. The team acquired vast experience making *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke refers to as the *Divinity* series at a more "evolved level." Now, he says that the new *Divinity* will be an still more evolved version of that game. To accomplish that, Larian needed to begin by re-solidifying the world's foundation.

"Among the first things we did was begin constructing a unified universe, because the *Divinity* lore was previously not fully unified," Vincke elaborated. "We had to re-establish it, a process we mastered during our work with D&D. Concurrently, we were building a new engine, so we modified our plans to use it sooner. This transition obviously was not as smoothly as anticipated, so we're now nearing the end of a challenging development phase."

Vincke confirmed that *Divinity* will be a turn-based RPG playable solo or in cooperative multiplayer. It is also a standalone title, despite being set after the events of previous games. Longtime fans will spot some returning characters, but prior knowledge is not essential. The stated goal is to create a "consistent world where fantastic things happen because of the choices you make."

Giving Players the Reins

That final concept is crucial. When questioned what Larian believes is the most important element to get right in *Divinity*, Vincke offered a one-word answer: agency. Larian's goal is to craft a deeper RPG filled with intricate "interactive systems." This focus on player-driven narrative was a cornerstone of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio claims it is pushing that design principle to new heights here.

"One of our philosophy is 'create your own story.' So the agency we want to grant you is the most ambitious part," Vincke detailed. "We are implementing sequences in there that will have you wondering, 'Really? It continues? But all I did was one small action!' We won't spoil these connections themselves. When we, during testing realized we could link these choices, it gave me pure delight. It thrilled my gamer heart, and that is the feeling I want you to have when the game launches."

In addition to the expanded focus on player agency, the development of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been invaluable to *Divinity*'s evolution. The studio specifically highlights that it gained significant knowledge in narrative design and crafting cutscenes from that project, which will be a central element of the new game.

A Collaborative Development Philosophy

The team also examined the struggles they encountered during the development of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke points out that onboarding could be daunting in that game due to diverse class rules. To make *Divinity* more accessible from the start, Larian aimed to "define our own rulesets so we could make it more video game friendly."

"A prime example was reactive mechanics in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke said. "At first, we were resistant to include them. During early access, the community insisted on them. We feared it would slow down the gameplay. Eventually, we implemented them in and discovered, well, it's truly better. They had a point! It was a great moment because it significantly made the game better."

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