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Gaming

Baldur's Gate 2 Remake Quietly Brewing at Wizards of the Coast

Emily Chen 0 comments 5 min read
Baldur's Gate 2 Remake Quietly Brewing at Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is developing an official remake of Baldur's Gate 2, according to reporting from PC Gamer. The project reportedly includes a refresh of the original Baldur's Gate as well, with both titles potentially launching in tandem before the long-awaited Baldur's Gate 4 arrives.

Kevin Martens, a veteran BioWare developer who served as co-lead designer on the original Baldur's Gate 2, is heading up the remake effort. When asked about the report, Hasbro, the parent company behind Wizards of the Coast, declined to address specifics. "We do not comment on speculation or rumor," a spokesperson told IGN.

The scope of these remakes remains murky. Converting either classic title into something resembling Baldur's Gate 3's full-scale Larian treatment would be a monumental undertaking, given the sheer volume of content packed into both games. It seems more likely the remakes will preserve the isometric perspective and real-time pausable combat of the originals, though whether they'll adopt turn-based mechanics inspired by Baldur's Gate 3's success is an open question.

The timing of remake development suggests Hasbro may be treating them as a stopgap. Baldur's Gate 3 became a cultural phenomenon, raising expectations for any sequel to stratospheric levels. With Larian Studios moving on to its next Divinity project and stepping away from the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, finding the right studio to follow up on that success is no small challenge. Remakes of the beloved 1998 original and its 2000 sequel could keep the franchise's momentum alive while developers grapple with the daunting task of a true sequel.

The Baldur's Gate universe is already expanding beyond games. An HBO television series adapting Baldur's Gate 3's story is in development, while an official prequel novel exploring the vampire lord Cazador Szarr's relationship with the companion Astarion has launched. A cookbook and coloring book round out the growing roster of tie-in merchandise.

Author Emily Chen: "If these remakes happen, the real test will be whether they respect what made the originals special or just chase what worked for Baldur's Gate 3."

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