Divinity Expected to Launch in Early Access, Similar to Baldur’s Gate 3

Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 made its debut in early access on Steam, and now the studio is hinting that its upcoming title, Divinity, might take a similar route. Larian’s head honcho, Swen Vincke, shared that they are still keen on the early access model. While he hasn’t fully committed yet, he noted that this strategy has proven effective for their previous titles. “It’s been the blueprint, especially the community participation with early access, which is what interests us. It was [with] Divinity: Original Sin 1, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur’s Gate 3–the community members were a large part of how we developed the games,” he explained. Vincke emphasized that these titles “improved massively” thanks to their early access phases. “When players are invested, it increases the pressure and their involvement, leading to something really cool from that process—even if it can be tough for the developers,” he added. He acknowledged the need to accept feedback, saying, “Ok, you guys are right, we’re wrong, we accept it, you’ve made your point.” Vincke pointed out that while early access requires additional development effort, it ultimately results in a better game, which is the goal. Baldur’s Gate 3 has become Larian’s most successful title, selling over 20 million copies. The first act of that game entered early access in August 2020, with Larian continuously adding content until its full release in August 2023. Regarding the new Divinity game, it was unveiled at The Game Awards with a striking trailer. Vincke claims it will surpass Baldur’s Gate 3 “on all fronts.” The studio is also incorporating generative AI to free up developers’ time for more creative tasks rather than mundane work. However, at least one former Larian developer has voiced concerns about the use of generative AI, suggesting the studio should prioritize respect for its employees.