Larian Studios
Larian Studios business and news from across the web.
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Steam is shoveling RPGs at people right now, and I think it's the perfect time to get Divinity: Original Sin for…
Larian Studios' Divinity: Original Sin is currently on sale for its lowest price ever at 90% off on Steam, making the Enhanced Edition $3.99 and the Collector's Edition $6.99. This significant discount is part of ongoing Steam sales and Larian's promotional efforts. The article also touches on the development of the upcoming Divinity reboot, with insights from Larian's technical animation director and CEO.
PAX West 2026 at the Seattle Convention Center (photos) — MP3s & NPCs
PAX West 2026 took place at the Seattle Convention Center, featuring thousands of fans and exhibitors like Sega, Konami, Atari, and Larian Studios. The four-day event showcased a variety of video games and tabletop RPGs, alongside panels and entertainment such as a live Daggerheart show. PAX West is scheduled to return from September 3 to September 6 next year.
HBO boss continues to suggest The Last of Us Season 3 is the series' final season
HBO boss Casey Bloys has reiterated his belief that The Last of Us television series will conclude after its third season, despite showrunner Craig Mazin suggesting it might take longer. Bloys' recent comments suggest a potential shift in plans, possibly influenced by a more divided audience reaction to the second season compared to the first. Meanwhile, Mazin is also working on an adaptation of Baldur's Gate 3 for HBO.
Valve finally backs down after age-restricting a Steam vampire RPG without any sex or nudity for having too much sex and…
Valve has removed the 'adults only' age restriction from the upcoming Steam RPG Nighthawks after the developer Wadjet Eye Games protested the classification. The game, which features mild adult situations and non-explicit nudity, was mistakenly flagged by Valve, severely impacting its visibility. While the situation caused significant stress for the developers, it ultimately led to increased awareness of the game.
Building a D&D game post-BG3: Why Warlock wants you to "feel like you're cheating"
Invoke's upcoming Dungeons & Dragons RPG, Warlock, aims to capture the creative spirit of tabletop play, drawing inspiration from Baldur's Gate 3's success in translating lore and player agency. Vice President Dominic Guay emphasizes the game's focus on flexible spell usage and player creativity, allowing for "cheating-like" interactions to solve problems, rather than solely relying on narrative choices.
Baldur's Gate 3's Astarion teams up with The Blood of Dawnwalker's Coen to ponder "the ennui of immortality"
Neil Newbon, the voice actor for Baldur's Gate 3's Astarion, and Will de Renzy-Martin, actor for The Blood of Dawnwalker's Coen, discuss the themes of immortality and the vampire trope. They explore how both games delve into the complexities of eternal life and the human condition, with Newbon emphasizing the importance of portraying the person beneath the vampire.
Inside Tencent's long-term strategy: live service, AI tools, and evergreen titles
Tencent's long-term strategy for its global games division centers on building sustainable communities through live service titles and evergreen IPs, alongside investing in high-quality talent and synergistic partnerships. The company is also embracing AI as a tool to enhance developer efficiency and iteration, rather than replace human roles, while navigating challenges in global integration and outsourcing.
Former Dragon Age lead says Baldur's Gate 3 studio Larian is taking a "risk" by making Divinity right after its 2023 RPG hit, but he applauds the devs for it
Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah believes Larian Studios is taking a calculated risk by focusing on a new Divinity game immediately after the success of Baldur's Gate 3. He applauds Larian's strategy of focusing on one project at a time, contrasting it with BioWare's past issues of juggling multiple series.
Baldur's Gate 3's Mizora becomes a fully-fledged companion thanks to a new mod, just in case you fancy adding a calculating cambion to your crew
A new mod for Baldur's Gate 3 allows players to recruit the character Mizora as a fully-fledged companion. The mod adds Mizora to the party in the third act, complete with new dialogue and reactions to story events, utilizing repurposed in-game assets. This mod follows similar community efforts to expand the game's companion roster.
Star Wars Zero Company's permadeath makes it a better RPG than most RPGs, even though it's not really an RPG
Star Wars: Dark Forces' permadeath system makes it a more impactful RPG than many traditional titles, despite its tactical game origins. The developer Bit Reactor has successfully integrated systemic and authored storytelling, creating a profound sense of consequence through permanently killable characters.
Astarion Gets His Own Official Baldur’s Gate 3 Prequel Novel This September
A prequel novel focusing on the character Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3, titled 'Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion,' will be released on September 29, penned by T. Kingfisher. Larian Studios' senior writer Stephen Rooney consulted on the project to ensure lore consistency. An audiobook narrated by Neil Newbon, the voice actor for Astarion, will also be available.
I'm locked out of Lae'zel's best ending in my Baldur's Gate 3 no weapons run, and I totally regret…
The author details their experience completing Baldur's Gate 3 with a self-imposed no weapons challenge, leading to regret over missing Lae'zel's best ending due to the inability to use the Orphic Hammer. Despite the success of the challenge, the player reflects on the unintended consequences and the game's dynamic combat system.
"Somebody will make the Half-Life 2 of AI" - after the Rideshare controversy, Saber CCO says something will come along and "change people's minds" about gen-AI
Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits believes a groundbreaking game akin to "Half-Life 2 of AI" will emerge, changing public perception of generative AI in gaming. Despite recent controversy surrounding its use in "Rideshare Stimulator," Saber is experimenting with AI, with Willits emphasizing the need for innovation and the potential for AI to create new experiences, drawing parallels to the initial skepticism surrounding Steam.
Baldur's Gate 3 is "a great game," but Warlock devs say their own virtual D&D experience is…
Invoke Studios' upcoming Dungeons & Dragons game, Warlock, is being developed with a very different approach compared to Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3. While acknowledging Baldur's Gate 3 as a great game, Invoke Studios' Jeffrey Hattem stated that Warlock is set in a distinct D&D setting, the Domain of Dread, and will not be turn-based.
AI is 'just a plagiarism machine that makes people lose their jobs' in the eyes of The Talos Principle…
Narrative designers Jonas and Verena Kyratzes from Croteam express strong skepticism about the current applications of AI in game development, calling it a 'plagiarism machine' that harms creativity and leads to job losses. They argue that while the underlying technology is impressive, its current use in profit-driven systems is detrimental, and the focus should be on labor issues rather than the technology itself.
Next big D&D game fully revealed with a lengthy gameplay trailer
The next major Dungeons & Dragons game, Warlock, has been fully revealed with a gameplay trailer showcasing its immersive sim-inspired action. Developed by Invoke and published by Wizards of the Coast, the open-world RPG channels influences from games like The Darkness and Infamous. Warlock is set to release next year and will be available on PC via Steam.
5 reasons why you should play Baldur's Gate 3, especially if you've never played D&D before
This guide argues that Baldur's Gate 3 is an excellent entry point for new players, even those unfamiliar with Dungeons & Dragons. It highlights the game's beginner-friendly D&D 5th Edition mechanics, approachable non-combat options, compelling characters, high replayability, and extensive modding support as reasons to play.
Steam Week in Review: A touch of AI is all it takes to trigger backlash, as a promising new indie falls afoul of slop…
Vapor World: Over The Mind, a Soulslike Metroidvania, faced significant backlash on Steam due to its use of generative AI in cutscenes, leading to a surge of negative reviews. Developer Alive Inc has since replaced the AI-generated content, with director Young Kim acknowledging the hasty judgment and promising to improve. The incident highlights audience intolerance for AI shortcuts in game development, even as South Korea shows high AI optimism.
If you're desperate for more Baldur's Gate 3, here's a 6-hour mini-campaign all about Astarion with 4 different endings and 6 new companions
A new mod for Baldur's Gate 3, titled 'A Dream of Silence: Revamped,' offers a six-hour mini-campaign focused on the character Astarion. This mod, created by Abigail Corfman and developed by lizardphunk, takes place within Astarion's mind and features four different endings and six new companions. While Larian Studios has stated they will not expand Baldur's Gate 3 further, this mod showcases the potential of the game's modding tools, with the possibility of future custom campaigns.
7 developers that will save the video games industry - Reader’s Feature
This reader's feature highlights seven smaller developers, including 11 bit studios, AdHoc Studios, Daniel Mullins Games, Hazelight Studios, Larian Studios, Sandfall Interactive, and Supergiant Games, who are seen as vital to the future of the video game industry. The article praises their innovative approaches to game design and storytelling, contrasting them with the perceived missteps of larger publishers.
