Baldur's Gate (series)
Encyclopedia
Baldur's Gate is a franchise of action role-playing game
s released under the Dungeons & Dragons
Video Game Licenses. It is set in the fictional campaign setting of Forgotten Realms
and takes place in its fictional continent of Faerûn
. It takes place mostly in the Western Heartlands, but has also been extended to take place in Amn and Tethyr. The franchise spans two series, the Bhaalspawn Saga and the Dark Alliance Series.
The Bhaalspawn Saga Series were developed by Canadian game developer Bioware for Personal Computer
. They use the Infinity Engine
, the same engine that would power Planescape: Torment
and the Icewind Dale series. The games largely follow Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Editition rules, but eschew the turn-based system for pausable realtime gameplay. The first game and its expansion are set exclusively in the Western Heartlands, whereas its second game and its expansion are set exclusively in Amn and Tethyr. The series was critically praised and, (along with Diablo
), is credited with revitalizing the CRPG genre.
The console-exclusive Dark Alliance Series features a more action-heavy hack and slash
approach with purely real-time mechanics. Unlike the Bhaalspawn Saga Series, both games released in the Dark Alliance Series take place in the Western Heartlands only and explores many areas not explored in the Bhaalspawn Saga Series.
A third series was planned and was set to take place in the Dalelands
, this was supposed to be the Black Hound series. It was scheduled to be released exclusively on the PC and was supposed to be a hack and slash
video game with pausable realtime. It would have used the same gameplay as in the Bhaalspawn Saga Series but the story would not have been connected at all. It was set to be the first game in a fantastic new trilogy that was canceled when Interplay forfeited the Dungeons & Dragons PC License fully to Atari.
offers a pre-rendered isometric worldview
, with sprite
-based characters. Baldur's Gate was also the third computer game ever to make use of the Lua
scripting language. The engine was also used for Planescape: Torment
and the Icewind Dale series.
The games are based on a real-time modification of the second edition AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) ruleset. The player's party can have up to six members, either created by the player according to the AD&D rules or NPCs
recruited by the protagonist from the game world. Numerous side quests and plot twists are associated with particular NPCs and can be activated if they are found in the player's party. Through extensive, context-dependent dialogue, many characters inside and outside the player's party are fleshed out and given an added level of complexity.
In 1999
, Baldur's Gate won the Origins Award
for Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1998, and in 2000
, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast won Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1999. Baldur's Gate has also been often compared to Diablo
(an action RPG
), perhaps for similarities in dungeon-crawling and the isometric view, but is much more story driven with less hack and slash
.
and north of the kingdom of Amn. The main character searches for the killer of his or her foster father, Gorion, and becomes involved with the region's iron crisis which causes metal to crumble, all while battling to stay alive.
An expansion pack for Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast did not add anything to the primary storyline, but presented the protagonist with more areas to explore along the Sword Coast, more powerful enemies, more spells, better equipment, and allows the player character to reach higher levels of experience. It also made some general changes to gameplay and altered the original game's final battle.
, the capital of Amn. Here the protagonist faces several different ways to figure out the reason behind the capture as he or she journeys through the region of Amn and the Underdark
. The game presents a number of innovations over the first Baldur's Gate game, including further specialization of character classes, better graphics and higher power levels. It also allowed for more interaction with the game's joinable NPCs, including friendships, romances, and your own party members' interactions with one another.
Throne of Bhaal is an expansion pack for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and includes both an expansion of the original game -such as new areas to explore- as well as a conclusion to the Bhaalspawn
story arc started in the first Baldur's Gate game.
and others, and released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2
console, and later Xbox
and GameCube video game consoles. The game takes place in the city of Baldur's Gate and surrounding area and is set in the Forgotten Realms
setting, with a ruleset derived from the 3rd edition Dungeon and Dragons ruleset; the plot is unrelated to previous PC games. The console RPG's used perspective correct overhead third person view, and hack and slash dungeon crawl
style gameplay. A Gameboy Advance version was released in 2004, with reduced graphics quality using an 2.5D
isometric type perspective. All versions were very well received.
was developed by Black Isle Studios
and released in 2004 for the PS2 and Xbox; the game used the same gameplay style as the original, and was also positively reviewed. The gameplay style was expanded to make the game more like an RPG, the ability to craft weapons, armour and amulets was added, Baldur's Gate became a hub city with the addition of a world map and being able to travel back to areas, making the game open world and many more side-quests were added as well as the ability to level up one's class.
was closed in 2004 by parent company Interplay Entertainment Corp.
as a new game in the Baldur's Gate series to be made by Black Isle Studios
using a completely new 3D engine.
The Black Hound was originally going to be a departure from the high-powered epic of the Bhaalspawn saga to a low-key, roleplaying plot. With protagonists progressing to around level four at the end of BIS'
typically enormous campaign and a hard cap at level eight, gameplay was refocussed to a flat and wide adventure emphasizing quests over combat. In fact, the game was only titled "Baldur's Gate" due to Interplay
having lost the general D&D license to Atari
, but still retaining the right to make "Baldur's Gate" and "Icewind Dale" branded D&D games (the same reason as for BGDA's title.)
The game was not going to be connected to the previous Baldur's Gate series in any way and would start a new series, the Black Hound series. Like Bioshock Infinite it would have been a sequel in terms of gameplay and not story, it would continue some parts of the Icewind Dale II story though.
The game was announced in 2002 and was said to have used the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons ruleset, the gameplay of the previous Baldur's Gate games would have been updated to fit the ruleset. Many new gameplay features were also going to be added to fit the 3rd Edition Ruleset better, elements from the Dark Alliance series would have also been borrowed. The game used the Jefferson Engine which featured 3D effects such as casting dynamic shadows. The game was 75% finished before it was canceled. Its cancellation happened due to Interplay losing the right to publish Baldur's Gate games on the PC yet retaining the Baldur's Gate name for consoles, the result of this was Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II.
The game appeared to be canceled in 2003
, just before its engine was re-purposed for Black Isle's ill-fated Van Buren
Fallout 3
project. Subsequently, Josh Sawyer
, one of the designers of the canceled game, resumed development of The Black Hound as a module for Neverwinter Nights 2
. As of 2009, this remains a side project for Sawyer, who works at Obsidian Entertainment
.
However, in April of 2004
IGN
released information that a Baldur's Gate III was in the works at that time, no longer to be developed by Black Isle and published by Interplay, but to be published by Atari.
As revealed in an interview with Winterwind Productions, Black Hound developer Damien Foletto revealed the story and setting of the game, which would have been in the Dalelands. The player character would have been resting at his campsite when a lady chasing a Black Hound crashes in, she kills the hound which dies on the player's lap. Accusing the player of being in league with the dog, she is about to kill the player as well, but the Riders of Archendale arrive and scare her off and question the player. After a brief inquisition, the local magistrates tell the player not to wander far because they may have more questions. And so begins the players quest to find out who the mad cleric was, what this has to do with him/her, why a black spirit hound now follows him/her around, and why can't people just leave the player character alone and do things for themselves.
In the January 2008 issue of PC Gamer UK, the editor claims that he knows that Baldur's Gate III is indeed being worked on - this has further been reiterated in the January 2009 edition.
On December 2, 2008, Atari stated in a press conference that the Baldur's Gate series (among others) would be revisited after 2009.
On February 7, 2010, in an interview about Mass Effect 2
, IGN asked Ray Muzyka of BioWare about the future of Baldur's Gate, noting the sighting of Boo
in the Citadel souvenir shop. He replied, 'Hey, that's just a space hamster. Boo's brother. And again, you'll have to talk to Atari about that, they've got the license.'
, editor of the Forgotten Realms novel line, wrote the first two novels in the Baldur's Gate trilogy of novels: Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, both based on the storylines of the computer game series. The novels follow the bare basics of the original stories, but eschew several of the games' numerous subplots and include only a few of the NPCs. The Bhaalspawn main character is named Abdel Adrian in the novels. The third, and final, novel - Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal - was authored by Drew Karpyshyn
. The novelizations are considered to be the canon in the Forgotten Realms universe.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s released under the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
Video Game Licenses. It is set in the fictional campaign setting of Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
and takes place in its fictional continent of Faerûn
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
. It takes place mostly in the Western Heartlands, but has also been extended to take place in Amn and Tethyr. The franchise spans two series, the Bhaalspawn Saga and the Dark Alliance Series.
The Bhaalspawn Saga Series were developed by Canadian game developer Bioware for Personal Computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. They use the Infinity Engine
Infinity Engine
Infinity Engine is a game engine which allows the creation of isometric computer role-playing games. It was originally developed by BioWare for a prototype RTS game codenamed Battleground Infinity, which was ultimately re-engineered to become the first installment of the Baldur's Gate series...
, the same engine that would power Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
and the Icewind Dale series. The games largely follow Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Editition rules, but eschew the turn-based system for pausable realtime gameplay. The first game and its expansion are set exclusively in the Western Heartlands, whereas its second game and its expansion are set exclusively in Amn and Tethyr. The series was critically praised and, (along with Diablo
Diablo (video game)
Diablo is a dark fantasy-themed action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment on December 31, 1996....
), is credited with revitalizing the CRPG genre.
The console-exclusive Dark Alliance Series features a more action-heavy hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
approach with purely real-time mechanics. Unlike the Bhaalspawn Saga Series, both games released in the Dark Alliance Series take place in the Western Heartlands only and explores many areas not explored in the Bhaalspawn Saga Series.
A third series was planned and was set to take place in the Dalelands
Dalelands
The Dalelands is a region in the fictional setting of the Forgotten Realms, for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the setting, the Dalelands is set on the continent of Faerûn, somewhat influenced by rural England, and most famous for hosting the famous wizard and sage, Elminster...
, this was supposed to be the Black Hound series. It was scheduled to be released exclusively on the PC and was supposed to be a hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
video game with pausable realtime. It would have used the same gameplay as in the Bhaalspawn Saga Series but the story would not have been connected at all. It was set to be the first game in a fantastic new trilogy that was canceled when Interplay forfeited the Dungeons & Dragons PC License fully to Atari.
Overview
The Baldur's Gate series brought many technical advancements over computer-based role-playing games of the past. BioWare's Infinity EngineInfinity Engine
Infinity Engine is a game engine which allows the creation of isometric computer role-playing games. It was originally developed by BioWare for a prototype RTS game codenamed Battleground Infinity, which was ultimately re-engineered to become the first installment of the Baldur's Gate series...
offers a pre-rendered isometric worldview
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
, with sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
-based characters. Baldur's Gate was also the third computer game ever to make use of the Lua
Lua programming language
Lua is a lightweight multi-paradigm programming language designed as a scripting language with extensible semantics as a primary goal. Lua has a relatively simple C API compared to other scripting languages.- History :...
scripting language. The engine was also used for Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
and the Icewind Dale series.
The games are based on a real-time modification of the second edition AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) ruleset. The player's party can have up to six members, either created by the player according to the AD&D rules or NPCs
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
recruited by the protagonist from the game world. Numerous side quests and plot twists are associated with particular NPCs and can be activated if they are found in the player's party. Through extensive, context-dependent dialogue, many characters inside and outside the player's party are fleshed out and given an added level of complexity.
In 1999
1999 in video gaming
-Events:*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 2nd annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards*March – Game Over republished as “Game Over: Press Start to Continue”...
, Baldur's Gate won the Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
for Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1998, and in 2000
2000 in video gaming
-Events:* May 11–13 — 6th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo ; the 3rd annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E³* June 26 — International Game Developers Association renamed from Computer Game Developers Association...
, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast won Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1999. Baldur's Gate has also been often compared to Diablo
Diablo (video game)
Diablo is a dark fantasy-themed action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment on December 31, 1996....
(an action RPG
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
), perhaps for similarities in dungeon-crawling and the isometric view, but is much more story driven with less hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
.
Games
Baldur's Gate
The first game in the series introduces the player character as a powerless orphan raised in the monastery of Candlekeep, south of Baldur's GateBaldur's Gate (city)
Baldur's Gate is a fictional city in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is a coastal city on the north bank of the river Chiontar, located in the Western Heartlands region of Faerûn...
and north of the kingdom of Amn. The main character searches for the killer of his or her foster father, Gorion, and becomes involved with the region's iron crisis which causes metal to crumble, all while battling to stay alive.
An expansion pack for Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast did not add anything to the primary storyline, but presented the protagonist with more areas to explore along the Sword Coast, more powerful enemies, more spells, better equipment, and allows the player character to reach higher levels of experience. It also made some general changes to gameplay and altered the original game's final battle.
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
The main character is captured by Jon Irenicus and must escape into the city of AthkatlaAthkatla
Athkatla is a fictional city in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is the capital of the nation of Amn, which in turn is a country on the continent of Faerûn...
, the capital of Amn. Here the protagonist faces several different ways to figure out the reason behind the capture as he or she journeys through the region of Amn and the Underdark
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...
. The game presents a number of innovations over the first Baldur's Gate game, including further specialization of character classes, better graphics and higher power levels. It also allowed for more interaction with the game's joinable NPCs, including friendships, romances, and your own party members' interactions with one another.
Throne of Bhaal is an expansion pack for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and includes both an expansion of the original game -such as new areas to explore- as well as a conclusion to the Bhaalspawn
Bhaalspawn
In the fictional universe of Forgotten Realms, Bhaalspawn is a name given to all children of the fictitious Bhaal, Lord of Murder, who foresaw his own death during the Time of Troubles and fathered children who could one day be sacrificed for his return....
story arc started in the first Baldur's Gate game.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
The action RPG Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was developed by Snowblind StudiosSnowblind Studios
Snowblind Studios is a video game developer located in Kirkland, Washington. They were founded in 1997, specializing in RPGs. In 2009, Snowblind Studios was acquired by Time Warner, through its Warner Bros...
and others, and released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
console, and later Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and GameCube video game consoles. The game takes place in the city of Baldur's Gate and surrounding area and is set in the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting, with a ruleset derived from the 3rd edition Dungeon and Dragons ruleset; the plot is unrelated to previous PC games. The console RPG's used perspective correct overhead third person view, and hack and slash dungeon crawl
Dungeon crawl
A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters, and looting any treasure they may find...
style gameplay. A Gameboy Advance version was released in 2004, with reduced graphics quality using an 2.5D
2.5D
2.5D , 3/4 perspective and pseudo-3D are terms used to describe either:* 2D graphical projections and techniques which cause a series of images or scenes to fake or appear to be three-dimensional when in fact they are not, or* gameplay in an otherwise three-dimensional video game that is...
isometric type perspective. All versions were very well received.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II
A sequel, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance IIBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II is an action role-playing game released for the PlayStation 2 on December 2, 2003 and the Xbox on January 20, 2004...
was developed by Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County, California, USA. The...
and released in 2004 for the PS2 and Xbox; the game used the same gameplay style as the original, and was also positively reviewed. The gameplay style was expanded to make the game more like an RPG, the ability to craft weapons, armour and amulets was added, Baldur's Gate became a hub city with the addition of a world map and being able to travel back to areas, making the game open world and many more side-quests were added as well as the ability to level up one's class.
Future
A third game in the series was cancelled when Black Isle StudiosBlack Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County, California, USA. The...
was closed in 2004 by parent company Interplay Entertainment Corp.
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound
Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound (code named Jefferson and FR6) was mentioned in early 20012001 in video gaming
-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
as a new game in the Baldur's Gate series to be made by Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County, California, USA. The...
using a completely new 3D engine.
The Black Hound was originally going to be a departure from the high-powered epic of the Bhaalspawn saga to a low-key, roleplaying plot. With protagonists progressing to around level four at the end of BIS'
Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County, California, USA. The...
typically enormous campaign and a hard cap at level eight, gameplay was refocussed to a flat and wide adventure emphasizing quests over combat. In fact, the game was only titled "Baldur's Gate" due to Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
having lost the general D&D license to Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, but still retaining the right to make "Baldur's Gate" and "Icewind Dale" branded D&D games (the same reason as for BGDA's title.)
The game was not going to be connected to the previous Baldur's Gate series in any way and would start a new series, the Black Hound series. Like Bioshock Infinite it would have been a sequel in terms of gameplay and not story, it would continue some parts of the Icewind Dale II story though.
The game was announced in 2002 and was said to have used the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons ruleset, the gameplay of the previous Baldur's Gate games would have been updated to fit the ruleset. Many new gameplay features were also going to be added to fit the 3rd Edition Ruleset better, elements from the Dark Alliance series would have also been borrowed. The game used the Jefferson Engine which featured 3D effects such as casting dynamic shadows. The game was 75% finished before it was canceled. Its cancellation happened due to Interplay losing the right to publish Baldur's Gate games on the PC yet retaining the Baldur's Gate name for consoles, the result of this was Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II.
The game appeared to be canceled in 2003
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
, just before its engine was re-purposed for Black Isle's ill-fated Van Buren
Van Buren (Fallout)
Van Buren was the codename given to Fallout 3, a game that was being developed by Black Isle Studios before the parent company, Interplay Entertainment, laid off the PC development team on December 8, 2003, effectively cancelling the game. Prior to its cancellation, Van Buren was set to carry on...
Fallout 3
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game released by Bethesda Game Studios, and the third major installment in the Fallout series. The game was released in North America, Europe and Australia in October 2008, and in Japan in December 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
project. Subsequently, Josh Sawyer
Josh Sawyer
Joshua Eric Sawyer is a video game designer active in the role playing game genre.-Early life and education:...
, one of the designers of the canceled game, resumed development of The Black Hound as a module for Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
. As of 2009, this remains a side project for Sawyer, who works at Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
.
However, in April of 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
released information that a Baldur's Gate III was in the works at that time, no longer to be developed by Black Isle and published by Interplay, but to be published by Atari.
As revealed in an interview with Winterwind Productions, Black Hound developer Damien Foletto revealed the story and setting of the game, which would have been in the Dalelands. The player character would have been resting at his campsite when a lady chasing a Black Hound crashes in, she kills the hound which dies on the player's lap. Accusing the player of being in league with the dog, she is about to kill the player as well, but the Riders of Archendale arrive and scare her off and question the player. After a brief inquisition, the local magistrates tell the player not to wander far because they may have more questions. And so begins the players quest to find out who the mad cleric was, what this has to do with him/her, why a black spirit hound now follows him/her around, and why can't people just leave the player character alone and do things for themselves.
In the January 2008 issue of PC Gamer UK, the editor claims that he knows that Baldur's Gate III is indeed being worked on - this has further been reiterated in the January 2009 edition.
On December 2, 2008, Atari stated in a press conference that the Baldur's Gate series (among others) would be revisited after 2009.
On February 7, 2010, in an interview about Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
, IGN asked Ray Muzyka of BioWare about the future of Baldur's Gate, noting the sighting of Boo
Minsc
Minsc is a fictional character in the Baldur's Gate series of Dungeons & Dragons computer role-playing games developed by BioWare. Minsc originated in pen and paper Dungeons & Dragons sessions held by Baldur's Gates Lead Designer James Ohlen, and was expanded upon by the game's lead writer, Luke...
in the Citadel souvenir shop. He replied, 'Hey, that's just a space hamster. Boo's brother. And again, you'll have to talk to Atari about that, they've got the license.'
Novels
Philip AthansPhilip Athans
-Biography:Philip Athans was born in 1964 in Rochester, New York, but was raised in Chicago. Athans grew up reading Marvel comics and Starlog magazines, and watching Star Trek...
, editor of the Forgotten Realms novel line, wrote the first two novels in the Baldur's Gate trilogy of novels: Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, both based on the storylines of the computer game series. The novels follow the bare basics of the original stories, but eschew several of the games' numerous subplots and include only a few of the NPCs. The Bhaalspawn main character is named Abdel Adrian in the novels. The third, and final, novel - Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal - was authored by Drew Karpyshyn
Drew Karpyshyn
Drew Karpyshyn is a Canadian video game scenario writer, scriptwriter and novelist.-Career:Karpyshyn was a loan officer, but when he got in a car accident, he quit his job as a loan officer and was able to go to college again to gain a degree in English...
. The novelizations are considered to be the canon in the Forgotten Realms universe.