"Bioware is currently NOT developing BG-3"

Romco · Post by **Romco** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 3:35 pm

It appears that BioWare is not the developer for Baldur's Gate 3. Please read this for more info: http://nwn.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic ... 4&forum=77

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 12:05 am

There is some news on this site and in the news forum for a couple of days back, about this as well.
http://gamebanshee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50125

I don't think many had expected Bioware to be (currently) producing BG3 .... after all they are rather bussy at the moment.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 12:14 am

Yes, and as someone said in that thread from the Bioware forums, they had issues with both WotC with the D&D licence and Lucasarts with the Star Wars licence, so they're mostly making their own stuff right now (like Dragon Age).

No one really expected Bioware to make it...

Romco · Post by **Romco** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 2:48 am

I actually expected BioWare to make it. Yes, their long term strategy is to move to their own IPs, but I thought they may want to hedge their bets just in case it does not work out as well as planned. I guess I was wrong.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 11:14 am

I think many people (including several of us on the forum) are expecting Troika to make it, because most of the other RPG developpers are busy with other projects...

Though, granted, Atari might just give it to a company that hasn't produced a (good) RPG before.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:06 pm

Well, its unofficial so far, but various sources (like Penny Arcade and Gamespot) have reported that Troika is clearing out their offices, and that a statement will be made at the end of the month.

So, who will make it?

fable · Post by **fable** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:31 pm

Nobody. It's only been rumors for a long time, kept floating by hopefuls from the BG2 community who tell one another it will be made.

The Great Hairy · Post by **The Great Hairy** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:43 pm

Aye, fable has the way of it. I doubt that we will see a BG3 any time soon, or indeed, any time at all. With Interplay gone, the rights are still floating about (Atari bought them, but Bioware still own core elements, and WotC own the DnD license, of course). With Atari still interested in NWN (#2 is due out soon), I doubt they have any interest in developing another BG title.

Cheers,
TGHO

Elessar-NWN · Post by **Elessar-NWN** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 11:59 am

I can only hope Obsidan are going to mkae it, as some core members of Black Isle joined them. But they are very busy though with KoTOR 2 and NWN2 on thier desk.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 4:45 pm

KotoR2 is done--all that's left is the major patch, which is supposedly in final testing and approval from Lucasarts. That leaves NWN2; but I really can't see a BG3. The demand simply isn't there. Chances are they'll do what they're next commissioned to do, and I suspect the next major title will be whatever is the latest craze.

jcompton · Post by **jcompton** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 7:35 pm

[QUOTE=fable]Nobody. It's only been rumors for a long time, kept floating by hopefuls from the BG2 community who tell one another it will be made.[/QUOTE]

Er, no, Atari did actually confirm back in the autumn that work was underway to produce one, but disclosed basically details.

There's also the aborted BG3 sitting in a drawer somewhere in Interplay's tiny office, but it's unfinished.

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 1:52 am

Have you got a reference? The only PR materials I've read on this from Atari state that it's not under development, but that Atari reserves the right to develop it in the future, if it chooses to do so.

jcompton · Post by **jcompton** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:45 pm

It was an autumn issue (October, I believe) of PC Gamer, the one with all the D&D 30th anniversary material. Atari confirmed that it would be made, but gave scant details. So, yes, of course it can be cancelled, but at a point in the recent past they stuck up their hands and said "yes."

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 5:21 pm

Given Atari's record, I'll reserve the right to believe that they'll make it when they actually do so.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 5:31 pm

[QUOTE=fable]Given Atari's record, I'll reserve the right to believe that they'll make it when they actually do so.

[/QUOTE]

Out of curiousity, why do you think it won't get made? Considering the first two Baldur's Gates were fairly massive PC hits (that have a living mod community and fan base even years after release), and even the Dark Alliance action games for console did moderately well, I'd think a BGIII would be a sure ticket item for Atari. I realize they are focusing on NWN2 right now, but, still, I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been more initiative to make a BGIII.

Ellester · Post by **Ellester** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:18 pm

[QUOTE=jcompton]It was an autumn issue (October, I believe) of PC Gamer, the one with all the D&D 30th anniversary material. Atari confirmed that it would be made, but gave scant details. So, yes, of course it can be cancelled, but at a point in the recent past they stuck up their hands and said "yes."[/QUOTE]
True the PCGamer issue stated it was in development and gave the prelude reference etc… But since no developer was named it sounded like Atari was just blowing hot air. Meaning they do want to make it, but they had not gotten a developer to sign on it yet. Anyways I’m sure that article is the reason why Gamebanshee started this BG3 forum, because Atari confirmed it (although I’m hesitant to believe it).

Obsidian’s unannounced 3rd title, which is being called New Jersey, seems to be a console only title. At least that’s what the rumors are since they started hiring console developers. Also a developer posted saying it wasn’t a sequel or a bioware hand me down. So Obsidian is definitely not doing BG3.

I’m kinda with Fable, it’s in limbo right now. Atari can’t get a good developer to take on BG3, so it’s just sitting. But I would like to be proved wrong, though.

Ellester · Post by **Ellester** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:23 pm

[QUOTE=Faust]Out of curiousity, why do you think it won't get made? Considering the first two Baldur's Gates were fairly massive PC hits (that have a living mod community and fan base even years after release), and even the Dark Alliance action games for console did moderately well, I'd think a BGIII would be a sure ticket item for Atari. I realize they are focusing on NWN2 right now, but, still, I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been more initiative to make a BGIII.[/QUOTE]
It will get done eventually. That’s why they want NWN2 and BG3, as these have been the two biggest selling d&d computer games ever. Atari realizes the cash potential BG3 can bring and it will get made. When is the question?

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:41 pm

[QUOTE=Ellester]It will get done eventually. That’s why they want NWN2 and BG3, as these have been the two biggest selling d&d computer games ever. [/QUOTE]

Do you have figures for this? My impression is that Morrowind and KotoR have sold more than either, and that NWN hasn't done that particularly well. If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time, or the last; but I'd really like to know for certain. And you seem so positive, after all.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Wed May 11, 2005 7:01 pm

[QUOTE=fable]Do you have figures for this? My impression is that Morrowind and KotoR have sold more than either, and that NWN hasn't done that particularly well. If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time, or the last; but I'd really like to know for certain. And you seem so positive, after all.[/QUOTE]

It's my impression that KoTOR is the top seller of those you mention. From what I've read, Morrowind between its X-Box and PC sales would seem to have out sold BG. However, the exact figures are really not out there for anyone to know the exact details. And, as such, I'm not even sure of how either of those games would measure up to a KoTOR, Final Fantasy, or Fable. I'm not sure about NWN. While it dissappointed many gamers, it did warrant a lot of Bioware's attention and 2 expansions, a sequal, and even a premium module project years after initial release. This implies to me that it was probably a fairly successful PC game as well. Of course, the problem with all this is that sales numbers remain mainly internal numbers that the public isn't given.

Regardless, more to the point, I think it's fairly clear that the BG series was a big success particularly for a PC RPG in its day, much more so than many RPGs before or since. By most accounts the titles sold over a million each, and even the Dark Alliance spin-offs were industry successes. As such, some sort of sequal, would seem a logical move. However, the duration of time since 2, leads me to wonder if the idea hasn't been scrapped somewhere in the midst of licensing chaos. However, Atari will live up to their earlier word.

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed May 11, 2005 8:01 pm

[QUOTE=Faust]Regardless, more to the point, I think it's fairly clear that the BG series was a big success particularly for a PC RPG in its day, much more so than many RPGs before or since. By most accounts the titles sold over a million each, and even the Dark Alliance spin-offs were industry successes. As such, some sort of sequal, would seem a logical move. However, the duration of time since 2, leads me to wonder if the idea hasn't been scrapped somewhere in the midst of licensing chaos. However, Atari will live up to their earlier word.[/QUOTE]

I'm inclined to think that BG3 will be made, and never be made. That's to say, a game called Baldur's Gate III will show up; and that it will not be made by any of the people involved in the earlier titles in the sieres, nor will it reproduce any of the salient features of series. It will simply be another RPG, probably as generic-feeling as the KotoR titles, and leave me with that sense of internal emptiness afterwards.

Why? For one, it's simply been too long. The people who made BG2 at Bioware are for the most part long gone, and publishers are interested in money, not in such petty, mortal matters as reassembling a great development team.

Then, too, the sense of atmosphere in the BG games was partially conditioned by a 2D environment that allowed for much greater graphical detail. Even a game as graphically rich (compared to the KotoR titles)as Morrowind uses a far smaller number of objects than the hand-realized artwork of BG2. This certainly isn't meant as criticism of Morrowind, a great RPG, IMO.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think so. For better and worse, Interplay's Brian Fargo had a vision, and kept a strong hand in what he wanted the company to make. There's no one like that at the helm of Atari, where accountants rule.