Official Baldur's Gate 2 Remake Reportedly in Development at Wizards of the Coast
An official Baldur’s Gate 2 remake is reportedly in the works at Wizards of the Coast, according to PC Gamer. The publication suggests that both Baldur’s Gate 1 and Baldur’s Gate 2 are likely to receive remakes ahead of the release of Baldur’s Gate 4. The report highlights that Kevin Martens, a former BioWare developer and Baldur’s Gate 2 co-lead designer, is involved in the project. There’s also a suggestion that both remakes might launch together, offering fans a chance to revisit both classic titles simultaneously.
The big question here, assuming the report is true, revolves around the scope of the remakes. It seems unlikely we’ll be getting Baldur’s Gate 1 and Baldur’s Gate 2 remade in the Baldur’s Gate 3 style, given how long it would take to convert the thousands of hours of content both games offer combined into something in-keeping with Larian Studios’ role-playing masterpiece.
Perhaps Hasbro sees remakes as a stop-gap between the phenomenally successful Baldur’s Gate 3 and the inevitable sequel, which has astronomical fan expectations to navigate. With Larian Studios leaving Baldur’s Gate and indeed Dungeons & Dragons behind to make the next Divinity game, there are big shoes to fill — perhaps the biggest in video games.
The Legacy of Baldur’s Gate
Baldur’s Gate was BioWare’s second game, releasing on PC in 1998 and published by Interplay. It did well enough to spawn a sequel, 2000’s Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, which, like its predecessor, took place in the Forgotten Realms. Both original games use an isometric perspective and pausable real-time gameplay, with the player controlling up to six characters.
Could the remakes follow Baldur’s Gate 3’s lead and go for fully turn-based combat? Or maybe a hybrid system is in order. The gameplay direction will be a key factor in how the remakes are received by both longtime fans and new players.
Expanding the Baldur’s Gate Universe
There’s plenty going on in the world of Baldur’s Gate, despite the long wait for a sequel. There’s a Baldur’s Gate 3 HBO TV show in the works, one that will continue the story from the game — much to the surprise of fans. There’s even a prequel novel depicting Astarion’s time in servitude to the Vampire Lord Cazador Szarr, an official Baldur’s Gate 3 cookbook, and a coloring book. These projects show the continued interest and investment in the Baldur’s Gate universe, even as new games and remakes are in development.
