Baldur’s Gate 3has become a prime example of how industry standards need to change. As a single-player game with no microtransactions, several big content updates, and open communication from Larian,Baldur’s Gate 3stands out from AAA-developed games that exist to earn money through multiplayer and paid updates. Despite its unconventional approach, it’s been at the top of Steam’s player charts for several years and continues to grow, proving that gamers want single-player games and that games don’t need microtransactions to succeed.
Unfortunately,Patch 8 forBaldur’s Gate 3was the last major content update for it, and Larian is moving on to other projects. Larian is likely not to be developingBaldur’s Gate 4, as its license was returned to Wizards of the Coast. As of May 2025, no game developer is known to have the license for theBaldur’s Gateproperty. The gap betweenBaldur’s Gate 2andBaldur’s Gate 3is very likely to be repeated once again with the wait forBaldur’s Gate 4. However, there may be a silver lining to the long wait.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Took Nearly 23 Years to Arrive
TheBaldur’s Gatefranchise was in a similar situation after the release ofBaldur’s Gate 2: Shadow of Amn. After developing and releasingBaldur’s Gate 2, BioWare turned to other projects, and there was a gap of nearly 23 years between the release ofBaldur’s Gate 2andBaldur’s Gate 3. The long wait was partially because there was no video game studio with the license to developBaldur’s Gate 3,and when Larian acquired it, it took a further seven years of development to releaseBaldur’s Gate 3, including three years in early access.
The State of Baldur’s Gate in 2025
With theBaldur’s Gatelicense not in the hands of a video game developer, it seems likely that it’ll be some time beforeBaldur’s Gate 4is released. As video games become bigger and more complex, they take longer than ever to develop, with some taking a decade or more. It’s likely thatBaldur’s Gate 4could be at least a decade away, even with the success ofBaldur’s Gate 3.
WotC Might Develop Another Property During the Wait for Baldur’s Gate 4
IfBaldur’s Gate 4does take many years to release, it may follow another pattern that has better news for players. In the aftermath ofBaldur’s Gate 2came the spin-off gamesBaldur’s Gate: Dark AllianceandBaldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2, which were released in 2001 and 2004, respectively. Both games were set in the Forgotten Realms and feature Baldur’s Gate, alongside landmarks such as the Elfsong Tavern and the sewers that run beneath Baldur’s Gate.2021 saw the release ofDungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance, which was not well-received because of its repetition and shallow storytelling, despite being based on the popularIcewind Dalenovels and TTRPG campaign.
However, there is no reason that aDark Alliancespin-off more closely aligned withBaldur’s Gate 3, such as the original two games, couldn’t be popular. The originalBaldur’s Gate: Dark Alliancewas well-received both critically and by gamers. WithBaldur’s Gate 3providing a new standard for the Forgotten Realms, and proving that single-player, turn-based games are viable, aDark Alliancespin-off could help make the long wait forBaldur’s Gate 4more bearable. While a newBaldur’s Gate: Dark Alliancegame doesn’t have to include the characters fromBaldur’s Gate 3, it could be set in the same time period, make reference to the events ofBaldur’s Gate 3,and possibly include popularBaldur’s Gate 3NPCs. It could also be a chance to dive deeper into factions such as the Bhaal cult and the Harpers.
