Fresh off the heels of the 2025 Game Awards, Larian Studios has officially peeled back the curtain on their next colossal project. Simply titled Divinity, the new RPG promises to be the studio’s “biggest and most ambitious project to date,” aiming to surpass even the towering bar set by Baldur’s Gate 3.
In a developer debrief with PC Gamer, Larian CEO Swen Vincke, alongside Writing Director Adam Smith and Lead Writer Chrystal Ding, dissected the reveal trailer and offered a first deep dive into what players can expect from their return to the Divinity universe.
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Unprecedented Agency and a Darker Tone
While Baldur’s Gate 3 was celebrated for its player freedom, Larian is aiming even higher with Divinity. “The level of agency that we’re going to give you is very, very high—much higher than BG3,” Vincke stated. This agency extends to both narrative and systems, with the goal of creating sequences where disparate situations “click into each other” to feel like genuine consequences of player action.
“This is a game about contrast… where you can really be the beacon, the last hope of everyone, or the one that really f***s everything up.”
– Swen Vincke, CEO, Larian Studios
The game also marks a shift toward a more “cinematic” and “intimate” darkness. Vincke explained that the gritty tone of the trailer isn’t just for show; it serves as a contrast mechanism. Players can choose to be the “light that takes the darkness away” or the tyrant that pushes the world further into the abyss. “We want you to feel like a hero if you do the heroic things, and we want you to feel like an asshole if you do the asshole things,” Vincke remarked.
Leaving D&D Behind for a Custom Rule Set
Unlike its predecessor, Divinity will not utilize the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rule set. Instead, it features a proprietary rule set built on decades of Larian’s experience. Vincke described it as “very easy to learn, very hard to master,” designed to facilitate the “shenanigans” and elemental chaining combat that fans of Divinity: Original Sin 2 will recognize. The game remains turn-based and will feature a party size similar to Baldur’s Gate 3.
New Engine and Recording Facility
To support this ambition, Larian has transitioned to a new engine that allows for features previously impossible in their older tech. Development has also been streamlined with a massive new recording facility in Guildford, containing six recording stages. The team plans to record motion capture and audio continuously throughout the entire development cycle, allowing for rapid iteration. “It’s not because we’re recording that we are already almost done,” Vincke clarified, noting that recording is “almost at the beginning.”
The Pressure of Success
Addressing the elephant in the room, the team admitted that following up a critical and commercial juggernaut like Baldur’s Gate 3 brings immense pressure. However, they are leveraging improved automated testing and analytics to iterate faster than ever before.
With casting still underway and recording set to continue for the foreseeable future, Divinity appears to be in the early but aggressive stages of production. But if Larian’s track record is any indication, the wait will be well worth it.
