No BG3 under development

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 10:39 am

I don't know how many other BG2 fans noticed, but there was a headline on GB a couple of weeks ago, as follows:

HomeLan Fed has a short comment from a Vivendi Universal Games spokesperson denying that there are any plans for the development of a third installment in the BG series; despite the fact that EBGames.com has a pre-order listing for such a game.

Any comments?

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 11:34 am

just one:

Zelgadis · Post by **Zelgadis** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 11:50 am

If they did make a BG3 game, it would probably just use the name for marketing and not really continue the story, so I think it is a good thing.

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 1:24 pm

This is a thread that refuses to die. There is even a BG3 petition at the official Bioware BG2 forums! It runs 16 pages long at last count. I am not posting any links in case I infringe the house rules here. Anyone interested can hop over to Bioware to read about it.

Skuld · Post by **Skuld** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 1:56 pm

I really didn't wanna even reply here, but why not. The story is over. A new game using a derivative if the IE, set somewhere in the forgotten realms, with a story and role playing as quality as the BG series would do just fine. All they'd have to do was put a little not on the box that said from the makers of the award winning Baldur's Gate Series. A BG3 is just not necessary.

Leonardo · Post by **Leonardo** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:05 pm

Well, even BG2 should not be called Baldur's Gate since you don't come near it... even Candlekeep is visited a couple of times during dreams... they should have re-named it as Bhaalspawn Saga or something like that.
I agree that the story is over with ToB, but they could really do a sequel digging into the game background, for example set during the Time of Troubles... Gorion could be a joinable NPC... or the gnome owners of the Friendly Arm...

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:47 pm

I can't imagine what else could be added to the Bhaalspawn saga, so I guess that limits my disappointment to a degree. I don't know how interested I'd be if it were like just another expansion pack. On the other hand, another adventure in the Sword Coast with a new character and a new storyline would be nice (perhaps a sequel with a new main character, say, fifty years after the "Ascension"?), especially if it catered to my ego just like BG2 and made me feel like I was playing, well, a near-god.

But if it isn't meant to be, I'll just have to turn to other games, which hopefully possess the same appeal.

Bloodmist · Post by **Bloodmist** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:53 pm

Yeah, thank God. Enough is enough.

It would be futile to try and make more games on a concept already finished.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:03 pm

Originally posted by Baldursgate Fan
This is a thread that refuses to die.

Not quite. The threads that don't die are the ones that insist, "The BG series is being worked on, my friend said he talked to somebody who knew someone that took care of the cats at Bioware, and they know it's being worked on, so what do you expect from BG3 and BG4 and BG5?"

What I posted was definitive information that it's dead, and sought comment. That's all.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 6:15 am

Yeah, too bad ToB couldn't have been worked out as BG3. With how long it is, that almost could've been possible, in some ways.

(Off Topic)

BTW, fable, I was curious. Would it be alright if I were to ask about other games not featured on this site in SYM?

jcompton · Post by **jcompton** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 10:44 am

Interplay's Black Isle division WAS working on Baldur's Gate 3. (Project Jefferson.) But because Interplay has so little money, it seems that they could not afford the upkeep on their PC D&D license, lost it, and had to shelve the project.

I don't want a new game that includes the same protagonist from BG2. Yes, his/her story is closed. But there are plenty of game series that have done a capable job of picking up the story with a new protagonist.

What I want is a party-based, character interaction-heavy RPG in the style of BG2. That is what a hypothetical BG3 would have been expected to provide, in my book. Having Imoen as a quest-giver and Valygar's son as a party joinable (or somesuch) would have just been a bonus.

ObsidianReturns · Post by **ObsidianReturns** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 10:45 pm

I think part of the problem is that by the end of ToB, you are (or can be) a literal GOD. There's nothing around that can stop you save other gods. And maybe mega creatures.

I'm sure bioware is working on something that continues the tradition of depth, character development and NPC's that BG started.

jcompton · Post by **jcompton** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 12:27 am

Originally posted by ObsidianReturns
I'm sure bioware is working on something that continues the tradition of depth, character development and NPC's that BG started. [/b]

That has not been their pattern as of late.

rebel3_6_1 · Post by **rebel3_6_1** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 12:47 am

I might be the exception, but I believe that a 3rd Baldur's Gate COULD have a decent story. Just have it start off from when you ascended and became the new lord of murder and have Cyric as the antagonist. Of course, I'll be the first to admit this does have its flaws. For instance, at the end of TOB, you don't HAVE to become a god, and it would be difficult to find tough opponents other than Cyric himself. But I think that the creative people from Black Isle could figure something out.

hwttdz · Post by **hwttdz** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 5:14 pm

Wasn't there some nonsuch about a time of troubles when Bhaal had to invest his spirit into various persons throughout the world, ie the protagonist of Baldur's Gate. Who was by no means a god at the beginning of the series. So III would pick up at a second such time when you invest your spirit into a child and have to make the rise again and do battles against the others vying for the post.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 5:16 am

How about this for a sequel. When the alpha Bhaalspawn "ascended" to godhood in BG2: Throne of Bhaal, he became an evil god, but he forgot about one thing: although he absorbed the "taint" of all his Bhaalspawn siblings, he didn't acquire all of the "taint" that was passed on to their offspring. (Think of Draconis, Aerie's baby, etc., whose "taint" was never absorbed--if they ever had any, that is.) Now the new Lord of Murder is feeling some ill effects as a result of that, and a new main character must face the wrath of gods and their minions as he/she struggles to survive, or perhaps he/she can even depose the new Lord of Murder if he/she can find a way to pull it off.

Without impugning the prophecies of Alaundo, it must be recognized that not all of them were fully understood. In fact, some of them were actually misunderstood. This leaves open the possibility of new surprises.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 9:51 am

Originally posted by jcompton
That has not been their pattern as of late.

I've been given to understand Bioware's KotoR does this, but I haven't seen it in two years. Has anybody looked at the Xbox release?