Given the success of BG3 it would be very hard to do BG4 successfully, and another studio will get raked over the coals for anything not as good, which is a very high bar. It’ll be first dismissed as Hasbro continuing to ruin D&D, then the studio will get called crappy and hit their reputation.
Hasbro/Wizards could instead have a few other studios build out some smaller standalone campaigns for half or a third the target price and see what sticks.
Imagine a Phandelver or Ice Spire Peak, or a Waterdeep series of campaigns with a smaller world and more linear story progression (you still need player choices to matter) — get the core mechanics right, build up some tight stories that players respond to, THEN take it open world with many characters and after that build out BG4.
BG2 to BG3 was a long ass time. I think fans would prefer BG4 done well even if it takes longer than having to pretend there is no BG4 in Ba Sing Se
IMO Don’t try to make a sequel, just make another story in the world. Call it Baldur’s Gate: GameTitleGoesHere
I’d take IWD though, I loved those games and own physical box copies I picked up at compUSA, and i’d even take it as a combat heavy spinoff with light story, just like the first one. Getting bogged down with dialogue in every city is a turnoff for me as much as I adore BG2/3. Was so nice bringing my own party and exploring the world, one dead beetle, lizardman or undead at a time.
Given the success of BG3 it would be very hard to do BG4 successfully, and another studio will get raked over the coals for anything not as good, which is a very high bar. It’ll be first dismissed as Hasbro continuing to ruin D&D, then the studio will get called crappy and hit their reputation.
Hasbro/Wizards could instead have a few other studios build out some smaller standalone campaigns for half or a third the target price and see what sticks.
Imagine a Phandelver or Ice Spire Peak, or a Waterdeep series of campaigns with a smaller world and more linear story progression (you still need player choices to matter) — get the core mechanics right, build up some tight stories that players respond to, THEN take it open world with many characters and after that build out BG4.
BG2 to BG3 was a long ass time. I think fans would prefer BG4 done well even if it takes longer than having to pretend there is no BG4 in Ba Sing Se
Even if they really want to use an existing series for the brand recognition, they could do Neverwinter Nights or Icewind Dale or something.
IMO Don’t try to make a sequel, just make another story in the world. Call it Baldur’s Gate: GameTitleGoesHere
I’d take IWD though, I loved those games and own physical box copies I picked up at compUSA, and i’d even take it as a combat heavy spinoff with light story, just like the first one. Getting bogged down with dialogue in every city is a turnoff for me as much as I adore BG2/3. Was so nice bringing my own party and exploring the world, one dead beetle, lizardman or undead at a time.
Ooh, another Icewind Dale would be amazing. It’s been 26 years.
While we’re at other properties, when’s the last time Drizz’t made an appearance? We should do a Drizz’t game.