Baldur’s Gate 3 is huge. But it could have been even bigger. The head of Larian reveals which spell could have doubled the game’s size.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive success. However, with the launch of the PS5 version of the RPG, Larian’s studio head, Swen Vincke, is drawing a line. In a “final interview” with Todd Kenreck, he talks about development issues, missing spells, and possible DLCs.
Banish Magic – The Spell That Would Have Ruined All Spells
D&D fans will have noticed that there is one particularly prominent spell that is not in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is about the spell “Banish Magic” or in English “Dispel Magic”. This is not only an important spell in D&D but also in many other tabletop systems. The spell essentially ensures that other spells are ended. Whether it’s the enchantment of a weapon, a summoned being, or any other kind of magic.
With “Dispel Magic”, you can lift magic, and that would probably have destroyed a lot of systems.
One of the biggest discussion points in the team was always: “Yes, but we can’t do that.” For example, we wanted to have “Dispel Magic” in the game for a long time, but it just became too much because there is so much magic in the game. And it was always: “What if I walk into the room and use Dispel Magic?” And then it was just: “Oh my God, my head is exploding.”
That’s why there is no Dispel Magic in the game, even though there are still some signs of it. Those are little moments where you can see “Haha, they wanted to do that and had that planned” – but it was just too much. It would literally have doubled the size of the game.
Although a lot is possible in Baldur’s Gate 3: the option to simply stifle all major spells at the root would probably have led to too many game systems and scenes being rendered absurd.
Content for 0.01% of Players
The interview also touches on the sheer number of options available in Baldur’s Gate 3. The interviewer, Todd Kenreck, emphasizes that he has never seen so many choices in a CRPG. Larian’s head responds that this abundance was particularly important to him and the entire team.
It’s funny that you mention this, because we were worried that we hadn’t included enough of it in the game. We were so focused on making sure that the identity you create at the beginning of the game is represented in the game.
Anyone who makes a decision at the beginning, such as being a “Wild Magic” sorcerer, should be able to feel that in the game. Therefore, there are always characters that address you based on your chosen class or subclass and unique dialogues that you can only see.
Vincke is fully aware that this means there are things that perhaps only 0.01% of players will ever see. But it is important to fully develop these paths as well.
If you only focus on what 80% of the players do, then that wouldn’t fit a game like Baldur’s Gate 3 at all.
DLCs are Possible, but Probably Not High-Level
Another topic that briefly came up was the question of possible DLCs. Todd Kenreck is already aware that a level expansion would be difficult, as spells in D&D become really absurd and world-changing from level 13. However, Vincke said:
Yes, but you could do different things. For example, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be at the end of the game. There are different ways to do that.
You could make a game from level 12 to level 20 – but that would be a different game. You would approach it completely differently.
Other problems, other environments, other protagonists – probably.
It would be feasible. But different.
A DLC is of course not confirmed, it’s only about the theoretical possibility. However, there are also a lot of contents in Baldur’s Gate 3 that were cut or left unfinished. Perhaps that would also lend itself to DLCs.
What’s Next for Larian?
At Larian Studios, a big vacation is now on the horizon. Although team members will still be there to actively work on patches and respond to community feedback, it seems that the “Baldur’s Gate 3” chapter is closing. Because Swen Vincke is already thinking about his next game. Even though he doesn’t want to reveal anything yet, he says that he “has always had a love for fantasy and sci-fi.”
It remains to be seen what we will see from Larian next – and when.
