Larian Studios Knows That Divinity Trailer Was Edgy — That's Precisely the Goal.

For a fortnight, a mysterious sinister monolith located in the Mojave Desert became the gaming world's greatest enigma. Speculation reached a fever pitch when a prominent figure published an image of the curious statue, hinting it was a teaser for a significant game unveiling. Online communities went into overdrive to crack the riddle. Was it new content for a popular franchise? A long-awaited sequel in a beloved series?

At the same time, the developers at Larian Studios found themselves amusedly sharing every wild theory among themselves. They held the answer: it was a teaser for the new *Divinity* title. This space became the exclusive place they could talk about it, sworn by an unbreakable oath of secrecy. Their commitment to silence was so absolute that they themselves became swept up in the public excitement.

"I had a moment where I saw people speculate that it was *Bloodborne 2*," explained the game's writing director, "And I thought ‘Oh, I wish it is!’ And then I realized: ‘No, it definitely is not!’"

The statue made for a perfect shared mystery, but it simultaneously provoked a critical question: "Is it possible to ultimately let down people if you create hype?" This query is one Larian Studios must now confront as *Divinity* continues development. Billed as the studio's "biggest and boldest" project to date, the RPG is going to attract significantly increased scrutiny after the award-winning success of their previous project, the Game of the Year-winning *Baldur's Gate 3*.

Going Back to the Source

"I think the key point is that we aim not to disappoint fans," stated Larian founder Swen Vincke, addressing concerns over losing new fans hoping for a direct sequel. "We think that the core appeal they played *Baldur's Gate 3* was the gameplay. That is our proven method, and it first took shape in the *Divinity* series. The new game is essentially going back to the origins of it."

Larian unveiled all the stops to get *Baldur's Gate 3* fans interested in *Divinity*. Its announcement trailer flaunted blockbuster polish, centering around a horrific scene reminiscent of folk horror. The teaser was packed with graphic imagery, modeled in part on a writer. It was a bold reveal, signaling the studio's faith in its next venture.

However, a new *Divinity* wasn't always the plan. While the studio aimed to return to its original CRPG series in time, they first envisioned following up to *Baldur's Gate 3* with a project more directly related to that world. *Divinity* has only been production for about two years following a significant change in direction.

"We were working on a new game set in the world of D&D, using the *Baldur's Gate 3* engine," explained Vincke. "Our intention was to work gradually on *Divinity* subsequently. But we felt that our enthusiasm lay elsewhere. We wrapped up our work with *Baldur's Gate 3*, so jumping into a sequel didn't appeal. So we stopped that project. This move sped up everything for *Divinity*, which meant we had to build from the ground up."

Solidifying the Universe

Returning to *Divinity* after nearly a decade was a considerable challenge. The team acquired vast experience crafting *Baldur's Gate 3*, which Vincke refers to as the *Divinity* series at a more "refined level." Now, he claims that the new *Divinity* will be an still more evolved version of its predecessor. To pull that off, Larian had to begin by overhauling the setting's lore.

"One of the first things we did was start to build a coherent universe, because the *Divinity* lore was previously not fully unified," Vincke explained. "It was necessary to give it a firm base, a process we mastered during our work with D&D. Concurrently, we were creating a new engine, so we modified our plans to implement it earlier. The engine shift obviously was not as smoothly as anticipated, so we're now nearing the end of a challenging transition period."

Vincke clarified that *Divinity* will be a tactical RPG playable solo or in cooperative multiplayer. It is also a standalone title, even though after the events of the last major entry. Longtime fans will spot some returning characters, but prior knowledge will not be essential. The stated goal is to create a "believable world where magical things occur because of your actions."

Ambition Rooted in Choice

The idea of player impact is paramount. When questioned what Larian views as the most important thing to get right in *Divinity*, Vincke offered a one-word answer: agency. Larian's mission is to craft a deeper RPG filled with intricate "video game systems." This focus on deep simulation was a cornerstone of *Baldur's Gate 3*'s success, and the studio claims it is enhancing that design principle even further here.

"A central part of our design pillar is 'write your own legend.' So the freedom we want to provide you is the most ambitious part," Vincke said. "We are implementing reactions in there that will make you say, 'Really? It reacts? But all I did was one small action!' We want players to discover these connections themselves. When we, during testing discovered we could make these choices, it gave me immense satisfaction. It excited my gamer heart, and that is the sensation I want you to feel when the game launches."

In addition to the expanded focus on player agency, the production of *Baldur's Gate 3* has been instrumental to *Divinity*'s progress. The studio specifically points out that it gained valuable knowledge in narrative design and crafting cutscenes from that project, which will be a key element of the new game.

Building with Player Feedback

The team also examined the difficulties they faced during the development of *Baldur's Gate 3*. Vincke points out that introducing new players could be tricky in that game due to complex class rules. To make *Divinity* more user-friendly from the start, Larian decided to "establish our own mechanics so we could make it more streamlined for play."

"A prime example was reactions in *Baldur's Gate 3*," Vincke said. "At first, we didn't want to include them. During early access, the community strongly requested them. We feared it would hinder the gameplay. So we put them in and realized, well, it's actually better. They had a point! It was a good moment because it undeniably made the game better."

Given this, Larian's player base will be crucial to *Divinity*'s final form. Vincke confirmed that the studio will keep using fan feedback