Divinity: Everything We Know About Larian's Next Ambitious RPG

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December 16, 2025 at 10:22 AM · 4 min read
Divinity: Everything We Know About Larian's Next Ambitious RPG

Imagine a scenario at The Game Awards 2025. Larian Studios, fresh off a historic, award-sweeping run with Baldur’s Gate 3, reveals its next move. And against all odds, it’s not a DLC or a Faerûn sequel, but a thunderous return to the studio’s own backyard. A stark, brutal cinematic trailer announces Divinity, heralded as its “biggest, most ambitious RPG yet.” The message is clear: after conquering the Forgotten Realms, Larian is coming home to Rivellon. This envisioned announcement creates a fascinating paradox: a homecoming for veterans that's designed as a perfect starting point for millions of newcomers. So, what exactly would Divinity be, and why would it be Larian's biggest gamble?

The Announcement: A Return to Rivellon

In this speculative reveal, the tone is a masterclass in whiplash. Following celebratory chaos, viewers are plunged into a grim, torch-lit ritual. A desperate plea, a sacrificial knife, and the eruption of a demonic “Hellstone” portal set the stage. This is the first look at Larian’s next chapter—a visceral, uncompromising statement.

The key takeaway from Larian’s accompanying statements would be one of passionate homecoming. Having operated under the rules of Dungeons & Dragons for nearly a decade, the studio is now unchained, returning to the high-fantasy sandbox of Rivellon it created. Crucially, Larian would emphasize that this is a brand-new game designed so that no prior experience with Divinity: Original Sin or Baldur’s Gate 3 is required. It’s a clean slate built on a familiar foundation.

Divinity reveal trailer

Divinity reveal trailer

Scope, Ambition, and What "Bigger" Means

Larian’s language would be consistently superlative. “Biggest, most ambitious RPG yet” is the official line, explicitly noting it will be larger in scope than the monumental Baldur’s Gate 3. But what does “scope” mean for a studio that already delivered a 100+ hour epic?

It could imply a physically larger world, denser with secrets and systemic interactions. It could mean narrative complexity on an unprecedented scale, with branching stories that make the permutations of Baldur’s Gate 3 look simple. Or it could point to deeper character customization or a more reactive world. Likely, it’s a combination of all the above. Swen Vincke has mused in the past about long development cycles, suggesting such a project would be a marathon, not a sprint. The studio’s expanded capacity, including work on another RPG codenamed “Excalibur,” shows Larian thinks bigger than ever.

Decoding the Dark Tone and Story Hints

The announcement trailer’s mature, horror-tinged tone would be a deliberate departure from the more whimsical style of the Original Sin duology. This shift is central to understanding Larian’s intent. Publishing director Michael Douse has previously emphasized that darkness in storytelling isn’t for “shock value” but to “treat the audience with intellectual respect,” promising a narrative that engages with serious themes.

The trailer’s lore drops—the ritual, the “Hellstone,” the desperate bargain—hint at a story where power comes at a terrible, personal cost. This suggests a Divinity narrative that may lean into moral ambiguity and cosmic dread more than ever. However, it’s wise to remember this is a cinematic reveal; the final game’s overall atmosphere could balance this darkness with the signature humor and wonder Larian is known for.

A fantasy guy raises a tankard of beer.

Orc raises a tankard of beer.

The Great Unknowns: Gameplay, Timeline, and Platforms

For all that might be shown, critical questions would remain unanswered. The biggest mystery is the core gameplay loop. Would Divinity continue the acclaimed turn-based, tactical combat perfected in Original Sin 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3? Or would Larian, free from D&D’s ruleset, revisit the real-time with pause combat of earlier titles? The studio would likely reveal nothing, leaving the community’s number one question wide open.

Its place in the timeline would also be unclear. Larian has stated it currently has no plans for Divinity: Original Sin 3. This project could be a distant sequel, a prequel, or a concurrent story elsewhere in Rivellon. As for a release window, there would be no confirmed date. Given Larian’s development cycles (4-6 years for major titles) and Vincke’s own past musings about a potential 2029 release for a next project, a launch before 2027 seems highly speculative. Patience would be essential.

Platforms are speculative but follow a logical pattern. A PC release is certain, likely with another transformative Early Access period. Console releases would almost certainly target next-generation hardware, including rumored successors to current platforms, given the project’s long development runway.

Legacy and Expectations: Standing in the Shadow of a Giant

This would be Larian’s greatest challenge: following up a generation-defining phenomenon. Baldur’s Gate 3 reset expectations for narrative depth, player choice, and cinematic presentation. Divinity would need to operate in that shadow while carving its own path.

The return to their own IP is Larian’s greatest advantage. It liberates them from D&D’s constraints, allowing them to apply every lesson learned from Baldur’s Gate 3—the performance capture, the systemic reactivity, the narrative ambition—to a world they control completely. This project would be the synthesis of their entire journey.

The audience would be dual: the devoted Divinity fans who have waited years for a true successor, and the massive, new Baldur’s Gate 3 fanbase hungry for more of Larian’s magic. Divinity would be designed as the bridge, rewarding veterans with deep-cut continuity while offering a pristine entry point for newcomers.

Divinity represents a pivotal moment for Larian Studios—a bold synthesis of past and future. It leverages every hard-won lesson from their D&D odyssey to fuel a passion project for their own beloved universe. A cinematic reveal would be a stark, thrilling promise of a darker, more mature Rivellon. Yet, with years of development likely ahead, the true shape of this “most ambitious RPG” would remain a glorious mystery. For now, we can only anticipate the day the studio that redefined the RPG turns its gaze homeward, and the wait for their ultimate vision of Rivellon begins.

Last updated: December 22, 2025 at 9:39 AM

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