Larian CEO Swen Vincke Discusses How Baldur’s Gate 3 and Original Sin 2 Shape the Next RPG as a “Natural Evolution” of the Studio’s 20-Year Legacy

It’s been quite a while since we last ventured into the world of Divinity. The last major installment, Original Sin 2, dropped in 2017, while the RTS spin-off Dragon Commander is now over a decade old. To find the last numbered title in the series, you’d have to look back more than 15 years. The roots of this franchise stretch back nearly three decades, tracing their lineage to the classic Ultima 7 from 1992. Larian’s CEO, Swen Vincke, acknowledges this history and aims to reshape it with the upcoming Divinity title.

“We’re calling it Divinity because we’re unifying everything,” Vincke shared shortly after the RPG’s reveal. “We took a hard look at our past work and realized that if we want to keep expanding the Divinity universe, we need a solid foundation.” Over recent years, Larian has been diligently crafting a more cohesive and grounded version of its universe, aligning its diverse elements into a single, coherent canon.

Recognizing the challenge this presents, especially for newcomers who may have joined the Larian fanbase after Baldur’s Gate 3, Vincke emphasizes that “we’re essentially starting fresh.” While there will be familiar elements for long-time fans, the grounded approach means that even first-timers will find themselves in a welcoming new world.

Baldur’s Gate 3 looms large over the new Divinity project. This was the game Larian chose to develop instead of sticking with the D&D framework, beloved characters, and the massive sales that followed. For Vincke, this is all part of a larger evolution. “Divinity: Original Sin 2 served as the blueprint for Baldur’s Gate 3,” he explains. “Now, both BG3 and D:OS2 will inform what we’re doing with Divinity. Together, they give a clear picture of our direction.”

Larian learned from D&D just how impactful a well-defined universe can be, and it’s ready to build on that with the rich lore of Divinity. With Baldur’s Gate 3 allowing for a more cinematic experience and Original Sin 2 teaching the studio how to weave a detailed tabletop experience into a video game, Divinity aims to merge these concepts, a feat made possible by the resources gained from recent successes.

“The gameplay we’ve crafted in our previous Divinity titles is what we truly enjoy,” Vincke notes. “It blends system-driven mechanics with narrative agency.” With the addition of cinematic elements, the team has a “powerful cocktail” to work with. They’re committed to enhancing this blend: “We’re maximizing every aspect—your ability to express your identity, how the world reacts, character development, combat, exploration, and narrative choices.”

“If you take Divinity: Original Sin 2 and make it cinematic, that’s what Divinity will look like.”

Thanks to Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian can now integrate these ideas with the high production values they’ve honed over the years. However, Divinity also allows them to push beyond the constraints of that RPG giant. “BG3 was a great game,” Vincke admits, “but we faced challenges adapting an existing tabletop ruleset into a video game, which came with its own limitations.” Now, working within their own universe, Larian can “execute our vision without those constraints,” allowing them to explore new possibilities.

While Vincke keeps specific inspirations for Divinity under wraps, the structure is evident: “If you take Divinity: Original Sin 2 and make it cinematic, that’s exactly what Divinity will be.”

The importance of player agency and cinematic quality is becoming increasingly clear. “It’s a game about power and how to wield it,” Vincke explains when asked about the essence of Divinity. “It will explore themes of hope, illuminating the darkness, or extinguishing the last flickers of light.” The trailer from The Game Awards, featuring a dramatic conflagration, exemplifies this. “You could intervene and say, ‘no, this won’t happen,’ or you could be the one who ignited that fire. It’s a game that will offer you significant choices regarding how you wield power.”

This is no small ambition, and Baldur’s Gate 3 has demonstrated Larian’s commitment to providing players with extensive freedom. However, even with the successes of D:OS2 and BG3 shaping Divinity, the studio faces challenges in bringing this next title to life. With a much larger team than before, Vincke acknowledges the effort required to keep everyone aligned. Yet, the real challenge lies in harnessing this project. “One of your colleagues mentioned how games often resist being made,” he reflects, “and we experienced that.”

Divinity has been a struggle for Larian “for a couple of years now,” but they’ve finally made progress. “I think it has surrendered its resistance. We’re in production now. It was fascinating to see that this struggle persists, even with all our resources. Every game has its own identity and language, which took us time to decipher, but I believe we’ve got it figured out, more or less.”

Ambition, a desire to innovate, and high expectations haven’t always aided Larian in this endeavor, and Vincke is aware that “some compromises will be necessary.” However, there’s a palpable excitement—one that was absent when the team considered sticking with D&D after Baldur’s Gate 3.

While the days of relying on Kickstarter funding are likely behind them, Larian is keen on pursuing early access. “It’s been our blueprint,” Vincke states, “especially the aspect of community involvement, which we find particularly valuable.”

“With D:OS, D:OS2, and BG3, player feedback played a significant role in our development process. The games improved tremendously through early access. When players invest in the game, it raises the stakes and enhances their engagement, resulting in something truly special, even if it can be a painful process for developers. We have to set aside our pride and acknowledge when players are right, which can lead to extra development work, but ultimately results in a better game.”

Whatever form early access may take, it’s evident that Divinity is the logical next step for Larian, especially following the cinematic advancements of Baldur’s Gate 3. Vincke remains tight-lipped about all the secrets of Divinity but hints at a complex mechanical change that “has always been part of our vision.” It’s been a challenging journey, but he expresses that “it’s starting to come together, with gameplay that genuinely excites us.”

The notion that this is a natural progression is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Divinity. Amid the series’ intricate and varied history lies a consistent thread that Larian has been refining for over 20 years, now coming into full view. Baldur’s Gate 3 felt like the pinnacle of that evolution, but Divinity aims to reach even greater heights. “We’re striving to deliver high-quality production values while ensuring that your interactions with the game’s systems influence the narrative, and vice versa. This concept dates back to our origins, inspired by Ultima 7, which achieved this with the technology of its time. We’re essentially continuing that journey.”

After nearly three decades of RPG development, Larian’s CEO confidently states, “This is the Divinity we’ve always wanted to create, and you’re going to have a blast with it.”