Summary

• Obsidian excels at sequels, proven by their work on Neverwinter Nights and Fallout, making them an ideal choice for Baldur's Gate 4.
• Obsidian's history with D&D-based games and success with storytelling sets them apart in the industry.
• Choosing Obsidian for a Baldur's Gate 3 expansion or sequel could result in stories with superior storytelling and quality.

Since Larian has confirmed that it is done with the Baldur’s Gate license, some fans have been concerned about the future of the series, but there is an even better choice to work on an expansion to Baldur’s Gate 3 or a potential Baldur’s Gate 4 that could easily outshine Larian. Obsidian has defined itself as the premiere pinch hitter for RPG development. The company’s follow-ups to BioWare’s Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic sured the originals, just as Obsidian did with Fallout: New Vegas, a superior game to Bethesda’s Fallout 3 by most metrics.

Obsidian is no stranger to Dungeons & Dragons-based video games. The original two Baldur's Gate games were based on 2e Dungeons & Dragons, and the Neverwinter Nights games were based on 3e and 3.5 DnD. Knights of the Old Republic was adapted from a 3e DnD inspired Star Wars tabletop RPG system.

The reputation Obsidian has earned for taking an established IP and game style and producing a follow-up with better storytelling is well-earned. Obsidian’s proposed Elder Scrolls spinoff game was rejected by Bethesda, which is a loss for fans of the series, as it could have outdone the storytelling of the mainline games, just as New Vegas did for Fallout. Though Larian did an irable job with the story and character work in Baldur’s Gate 3, a sprawling world like Forgotten Realms has room for myriad more tales, and Obsidian has previously worked with the setting in several prior games.

Obsidian Has Created Original IPs But Excels At Sequels

Baldur's Gate 4 Could Be Better Than BG3

The sincere and complex story of Pentiment made real-world history fascinating, proving again that Obsidian can deliver a quality game without building off another developer’s work, just as the company did with its original Pillars of Eternity series. Still, the distinct skillset of refining an established game style with a focus on compelling plot and storytelling is something that sets Obsidian apart in the industry. If past precedents remain consistent, Obsidian is not only the best choice for follow-ups to Baldur’s Gate 3, but its sequel could also very likely sur the quality of Larian’s fantasy opus.

Creating a current-gen engine that adequately adapts the rules of the 5e Dungeons & Dragons system was a major achievement for Larian, and it succeeded where the earlier attempt, Sword Coast Legends, fell short. Now that there is a framework to enable both tactical turn-based battles and rich exploration of the iconic DnD world, it would be unwise to leave Baldur’s Gate 3 as a "one and done" project. As reported by IGN, Hasbro is already looking for Larian’s replacement, though the company has not revealed any details about its search for the next Baldur’s Gate developer following Larian’s departure.

Obsidian used an updated version of BioWare's Aurora Engine to create Neverwinter Nights 2; it used the Odyssey Engine for Knights of the Old Republic 2, and Fallout: New Vegas built on the engine of Fallout 3, proving the developer's skill in working with established gaming engines to craft new stories and experiences.

There are some potential hurdles to selecting Obsidian to take up the baton from Larian on new Baldur’s Gate projects. Microsoft purchased Obsidian Entertainment in 2018, adding the acclaimed developer to its list of first-party gaming studios. For a massive franchise like Baldur’s Gate, Hasbro would not want to limit its options on gaming platforms. Unlike a Sony first-party studio or a Nintendo-published game, Microsoft-published games launch on PC and Xbox consoles the same day, and PC is the platform most associated with Baldur’s Gate. Further, recent moves show the company is increasingly more open to multiplatform releases.

A Baldur's Gate Game Would Bring Obsidian Full Circle

A Long History Of Quality Titles

Obsidian remains busy working on its own IPs, and the Avowed makes the Elder Scrolls 6 wait easier to bear. While works like Pillars of Eternity have been as well received as Neverwinter Nights, and Outer Worlds provided a similar vibe to Fallout, pairing Obsidian’s masterclass writing skills with a beloved franchise is a proven recipe for gaming greatness. The formation of Obsidian came from former employees of Black Isle starting their own company, and Black Isle worked on the original two Baldur’s Gate titles. This would make a return to the series a homecoming of sorts for Obsidian.

While a full sequel is likely much further on the horizon, a scenario where Obsidian is contracted to create an expansion campaign for Baldur’s Gate 3 is entirely feasible. There are a multitude of potential endings for BG3, including those where key party have died and others where the player’s protagonist character is irrevocably changed. This makes a story that continues from where the base game left off a complicated prospect since it would have to factor in many variables. A sidestory taking place during the campaign is not a workaround, given the urgency of the main plot.

Later this year, a rule revision to 5e Dungeons & Dragons is scheduled to be released, and Hasbro might request that any expansions or sequels to Baldur's Gate 3 be adjusted to reflect the new rule changes.

Since Larian expressed trepidation at the difficulties of adapting levels 13 to 20 of 5e Dungeons & Dragons, Obsidian’s best course might simply be an entirely fresh campaign that goes from level 1 to 12. Expansions to Neverwinter Nights and its sequel followed a variety of templates, some offering low or mid-level adventures and others continuing to the epic levels. Whatever approach it takes, Obsidian is the best developer to pick up the torch left by Larian and create an expansion that takes Baldur’s Gate 3 to the next level in of story, if not actual DnD character levels.

Source: IGN