BioWare demands Larian license Divinity Engine for BG4 success

The dream of Baldur’s Gate 4 has always hovered just out of reach for many fans, but a veteran mind is now proposing a surprisingly straightforward path to making it happen: convincing Larian Studios to hand over the keys to their proprietary Divinity Engine.

Mark Darrah, a name synonymous with epic RPGs from his time at BioWare and Dragon Age, believes that the roadmap for Baldur’s Gate 4 should be viewed not as an entirely new game, but as an “oversized expansion pack” for its predecessor. His vision hinges on securing access to the engine itself.

Darrah suggests that if Hasbro, the parent company of the Dungeons & Dragons IP, wants to proceed, they must secure a license for the Divinity Engine from Larian. This move would allow a new developer to build upon the existing, deeply established framework rather than starting from scratch.

However, navigating this ambition runs into significant hurdles. Larian CEO Swen Vincke has recently made it clear that the studio is focused elsewhere and intends to move on from major expansions. He stated definitively that they will not be making new expansions or the highly anticipated Baldur’s Gate 4, opting instead to focus on other projects.

This creates a fascinating tension between external ambition and internal creative control. The engine itself—created by Larian during the development of Divinity: Original Sin—is clearly cherished and protected. While it has been made accessible to modders through official tutorials, the concept of licensing it out remains a delicate matter for the studio.

Darrah recognizes that anyone new taking on this massive project needs to respect the immense amount of history woven into the RPG structure. He suggests that bringing in someone who understands this foundation—perhaps someone like Owlcat—would ensure the resulting game maintains the quality and depth fans expect.

Ultimately, Darrah posits that there are only two paths forward: either successfully negotiate the license to proceed with a BG4, or accept that the wait for the next great adventure might be a very long one.