The success of Baldur’s Gate 3 wasn’t just resounding—it became a real curse for Hasbro. The company that owns the rights to the franchise has been struggling for months to find a studio willing to take on a fourth installment. And it’s not a matter of money or deadlines—the developers are frankly afraid.
One of those who declined was James Ohlen, a series veteran, co-author of Baldur’s Gate 2, and now head of Archetype Entertainment. Hasbro offered him the chance to lead the BG4 project. Ohlen declined. The reason is simple: competing with Larian Studios and their masterpiece is a guaranteed failure in the eyes of fans.
“Working on Exodus—our own game—was challenging enough, but competing with Baldur’s Gate 3? It’s insane,” Ohlen said in an interview with PC Gamer.
According to him, BG4 requires a team that thinks outside the box and is willing to take risks. But he didn’t name any specific names. It seems there simply aren’t any such studios.
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Larian Has Chosen Its Own Path
As a reminder, Larian Studios, the creators of BG3, announced last year that they wouldn’t be making a sequel. They even managed to sketch out the first drafts, but ultimately decided to focus on their own Divinity universe. The Belgian studio is currently actively developing this franchise—and, by all accounts, they’re doing just fine.
Remakes of the First Parts: Rumors or Reality?
In early June, rumors began circulating online about possible remakes of the original duology. Another veteran, Kevin Martens, who also worked on BG2, is allegedly working on them. Interestingly, Martens is currently working at Ohlen’s studio, on Exodus. This means the project could be connected to Hasbro, but there’s no official confirmation.
For now, Baldur’s Gate 4 remains in limbo. Hasbro is looking, Larian has left, Ohlen has backed out, and fans are wondering if we’ll ever see a new chapter in this legendary RPG. Time will tell.
