However, Larian was not the first to attempt a follow-up to BioWare’s duo ofDungeons & Dragonsadventures. Now, players (particularly newer fans) are learning about the long history of failed Baldur’s Gate 3s courtesy of an old magazine one fan found from 20 years ago.
At this point, Baldur’s Gate 3 already had a troubled production history, with the article referencing Black Isle Studios’ canceled game, codenamed “Jefferson.”
The bulk of the article discusses Atari’s attempt to make a Baldur’s Gate 3, plans which would eventuallyinvolve Obsidian Entertainment.
In the piece, Atari and executive producer John Hight promise “a similarly epic scope” to the previous games, as well as “a large gaming world populated by memorable characters.”
Interestingly, the article also includes an image from BioWare’sDragon Ageengine, giving an early look at a franchise that wouldn’t launch for another half a decade.
In addition to being impressed and intrigued by the poster’s rare find, some Baldur’s Gate 3 fans are expressing their relief that things worked out the way they did. As one put it, “tbh, really glad the other studios didn’t work out and we got the game we have today.”
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Others were delighted thatMinsc, who Atari teased would return for their sequel, ended up making it into Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 anyway.
Ultimately, while both Atari and Black Isle’s visions of Baldur’s Gate 3 remain some of the greatest “what ifs” of gaming history, it’s hard for anyone to be too disappointed considering how good Larian Studios’ game ended up being.
Noelle Corbett was a Senior Writer on Dexerto’s US team. She is a Gaming expert, covering Pokemon, Baldur’s Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, and RPGs. She also has bylines at CBR.
