BioWare: No Regrets About Leaving Baldur's Gate Behind

[Keane Ng]

BioWare: No Regrets About Leaving Baldur's Gate Behind

As a new Baldur's Gate game looks more and more unlikely to happen, gamers might lament the passing of that classic BioWare series, but the developers themselves have "no regrets" about leaving the franchise in the past.

It's pretty much a sure thing that BioWare's never going to revisit the Baldur's Gate franchise again. "The Baldur's Gate and Dungeons and Dragons property is of course controlled by Atari, and owned originally by Hasbro, so it's a complicated, convoluted way of getting there," BioWare's Greg Zeschuk told VideoGamer [http://www.videogamer.com/news/bioware_on_not_making_baldur_s_gate_3_we_ve_no_regrets.html] in an interview. It's just not going to happen, but BioWare has no problems with that. Instead of making another Baldur's Gate game, they just created a spiritual successor. That's Dragon Age: Origins.

But gamers have such fond memories of Baldur's Gate, memories that nobody wants to let go of, so must BioWare share the same nostalgia, right? Asked if he would ever consider revisiting the series, Zeschuk was a bit unsure: "Maybe. The things we miss more than anything else are some of the characters we created. It's frustrating - like Minsc and some of the other characters we built over the years - not being able to continue to stem that is a bit frustrating."

His overwhelming sentient, however, was that his studio completed the narrative arc of the Baldur's Gate universe in the Baldur's Gate 2 expansion, Throne of Baal, and that "we feel like we finished our work at that time."

It's a shame there will never be another Baldur's Gate, but there's no looking back for BioWare. "No, we don't have regrets," Zeschuk said.


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[GordonFawx]

No, I can see why they left it. I felt a great sense of closure with Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal and haven't really needed a sequel.

Another FANTASTIC RPG with the same kinda formula; IE. Same universe, same combat system, same party system; would be FREAKIN' AWESOME though.

You know, IMHO.

 

[Leftnt Sharpe]

I should be sad that my favourite video game series will never get any more entries, but in a way I am relieved. I'm not sure that any new BG games could live up to the classics of the past. Fallout 3 just about managed to live up to its roots (although some would dispute that), but a Baldur's Gate game without the infinity engine (Dark Alliance doesn't count)wouldn't feel the same.

 

[Fightgarr]

Yeah I heard that they were giving up on the D&D franchise a while ago. Still, I'm sure for people who love Baldur's Gate to a large degree (I'm looking at you Baby Tea), those that want a sequel will be very disappointed. Myself, I've been trying to locate a copy of the first two games and their expansions.

I'm interested in Dragon Age (if only because it has dragon in the name) but it seemed to me that Baldur's Gate was a PC RPG through and through, and that its control methods would not translate well to consoles which is why I feel like Dragon Age may not be a full successor to the Throne... (of Bhaal).

 

[GloatingSwine]

They were good games, but Baldur's Gate ended, and ended strong. Let D&D lie, new IPs are where it's at.

 

[solidstatemind]

I am forced to wonder if they would revisit it if the snarl of rights weren't so complicated. I mean, saying 'spiritual successor' implies that you're trying to salvage at least some elements, be they only nebulous ones such as mood or atmosphere.

But, meh. I enjoyed my time with BG but am more than happy to move on to new realms. Of course, it's been so long that a new BG would almost be new...

 

[Kojiro ftt]

I'm fine with Baldur's Gate being done. But I don't think D&D as an entity should be shelved. The world is so rich and endless. And it's nice to have a system that is familiar to so many people, you don't even need an instruction manual.

 

[Ethereal.Frog]

I enjoyed BG, it was hard yes, but that just made beating it better. I still prefer the difficulty of the more "casual" games of today than the luck-based mission that is fighting 20 kobolds at level 1, but I will still miss Minsc. I want to put a comment about the "baby oil" from Planescape here, but I can't think of anything to say that would make it atleast somewhat relevent. Oh well, No mewling mortal babies for me then.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Minsc is unhappy to be left without a sequel. It makes him feel like Duke Nukem. Don't you agree, Boo?

As long as we don't have to put up with that PITA Elminster. I mean LotR hasn't really been hurt by it's revival has it?

 

[Radeonx]

They were good games, but Baldur's Gate ended, and ended strong. Let D&D lie, new IPs are where it's at.

This. Baldur's gate ended on a good note, and I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[pigeon_of_doom]

Don't think it was ever going to be resurrected in the same style it used to be. A spiritual successor was the only route Bioware had available to them in regards to this franchise for the last few years imo.

 

[Knight Templar]

Boo says "WHAT?"

A spiritual successor wouldn't match up to Baldur's Gate, half of the game was the chracters who you traveled with.I'm really sad to hear this, but I'm at least glad they didn't just leave the franchise hanging as other companies might have.
I still want another BG game.

 

[SlickShot]

I'm all for moving forward with gaming but developers have made every other old title into a new and improved version. Why should Baldur's Gate get left behind. It was an amazing game. Sure. Throne of Baal gave me some closure as a story but can't we start a new one? I just think it shouldn't be dropped because the developers don't think it'll work out well.

 

[Valiance]

I understand.

I'd rather not see a lackluster cash-in released by them, and most new games just aren't quite the same as the old.

I don't blame them, so...Maybe they'll come back to it later, or make even better (Somehow) characters for Dragon Age.

 

[In Limbo]

His overwhelming sentient, however...

I think you mean sentiment, though sentient would raise some interesting questions.

 

[Sneaky-Pie]

Two wonderful games. At least they ended on a high note and something made of such quality, that it remains to be one of the most solid RPGs ever... and ever.

 

[vultureX21]

Baldur's Gate will go down as my favorite gaming experience for a long time I think, but as has been pointed out extensively in this thread the series reached a full and satisfactory conclusion. It was a fantastic story and it ran its course.

Now, go make a new story in the D&D universe with the same party system and deep characters that...oh wait...

I can just play Neverwinter Nights 2!

And let's pretend those console Baldur's Gate games never happened. Ever. Except maybe in Hell.

 

[LewsTherin]

Good. Baldur's Gate was finished at the end of throne of Baal. No need to drag out the narrative in forced chapters.