Who has the Baldurs Gate 3 liscense/Who SHOULD have it?

Andhaira · Feb 10, 2008

Since interplay is gone, who has it? And who do you think SHOULD have it? And why?

Possible candidates:

-Bethesda
-EA/Bioware (I am not sure if Bioware has the authority to purchase liscenses independantly)
-Microsoft
-Blizzard
-Obsidian
-Pirhana Bytes
-Spiderweb Software
-Squaresoft

JarlFrank · Feb 10, 2008

I guess Bioware have it, no? If not, I dunno.

I guess Obsidian would be best to have it, seeing what they did with MotB. I guess they could make a pretty good game out of BG3. I doubt any of the other companies you mentioned could make it true to the good old Infinity Engine BGs... I actually liked BG2 for its nice twist on classical fantasy. Irenicus was badass.

Radisshu · Feb 10, 2008

Bioware, of course. The problem with that is that they're owned by EA, and I'm not sure I'd like to see them holding the BG license. "NEW BG '08"

MetalCraze · Feb 10, 2008

making BG3 would be pointless. I've recently finished ToB again so I don't see what else can be done with the series from this still fresh after-game point of view. and even if it will be a totally new story - another sword coast game? DO NOT WANT.
MotB was good because it was far from generic sword coast.
the best thing for obsidian will be to take MCA and force him and his team to make Planescape 2. or a totally new game in some DnD setting. BIS/Obsidian can handle multiple planes quite well

Volrath · Feb 10, 2008

Huh I thougth Atari had the licensce for everything concerning D&D.

Black · Feb 10, 2008

Don't really care. There are tons of better crpgs than BG

Andhaira · Feb 10, 2008

@Volruth: Atari is gone, just like interplay.

skyway said:
making BG3 would be pointless. I've recently finished ToB again so I don't see what else can be done with the series from this still fresh after-game point of view. and even if it will be a totally new story - another sword coast game? DO NOT WANT.
MotB was good because it was far from generic sword coast.
the best thing for obsidian will be to take MCA and force him and his team to make Planescape 2. or a totally new game in some DnD setting. BIS/Obsidian can handle multiple planes quite well

They could set it in forgotten realms 4e,which is set 100+ years after the old forgotten realms (of 2e and 3e). Its kind of sad that Baldur's Gate never got a 3e iteration in a crpg, but oh well.

Funnily enough the 100+ years have left the sword coast basically unchanged, but oh well.

Wilco · Feb 10, 2008

JarlFrank said:
I guess Bioware have it, no? If not, I dunno.

I guess Obsidian would be best to have it, seeing what they did with MotB. I guess they could make a pretty good game out of BG3. I doubt any of the other companies you mentioned could make it true to the good old Infinity Engine BGs... I actually liked BG2 for its nice twist on classical fantasy. Irenicus was badass.

Interplay still probably have the license to the actual name 'Baldur's Gate', but the right to publish D&D games not under that name have gone to Atari.

Obsidian could probably get it done since they are made up of former Black Isle members who worked on BG3 before the studio closed. What I'm wondering, however, is whether we'll ever see an isometric, party-based RPG with the D&D system ever again. Most developers right now are either doing their own thing or are simplifying the system for the console. The last, true RPG of this type was IWD 2. Hopefully, with all these new revisions to the campaigns coming out, the company that owns D&D will lend the license to more developers.

*edit* Just to add, the cancelled BG3 was not a continuation of the BG saga. It was it's own separate story, the name Baldur's Gate was used because interplay had lost the rights to publish D&D games under any name except Baldur's Gate.

Andhaira · Feb 10, 2008

Um, we just got NWN2, which was partybased.

Wilco · Feb 10, 2008

Andhaira said:
Um, we just got NWN2, which was partybased.

Not at release. It's also clearly not designed to be a party based system, being based on the original NWN engine and all.

Maybe MoTB updated this?

Section8 · Feb 10, 2008

Since interplay is gone, who has it?

Wizards of the Coast.

And who do you think SHOULD have it?

Nobody.

And why?

As much as I dislike the game, I feel for the fans of the first two who would almost certainly be horribly disappointed by whatever piece of shit the name gets slapped on it in the name of brand recognition.

dragonfk · Feb 10, 2008

I dont want to see Baldurs Gate 3. Why ? Because surely it wouldnt be sprite-like as his precedecors. Graphics and atmosphere: BG1&2 >> NWN1&2. Period. I dont want one of the best games I ever played to be corrupted by nowadays nextgen design.

So no sequels please.

corvax · Feb 10, 2008

Andhaira said:
Possible candidates:

-Bethesda
-EA/Bioware (I am not sure if Bioware has the authority to purchase liscenses independantly)
-Microsoft
-Blizzard
-Obsidian
-Pirhana Bytes
-Spiderweb Software
-Squaresoft

Spiderweb? You can't be serious. Bethesda? Not likely. FO and TES are enough to handle.

MetalCraze · Feb 10, 2008

come to think of it
Squaresoft would actually make a nice spin-off of BG with Aerie as the main character. Aerie fits into jRPGs so perfectly

Radisshu · Feb 10, 2008

skyway said:
come to think of it
Squaresoft would actually make a nice spin-off of BG with Aerie as the main character. Aerie fits into jRPGs so perfectly

Oh NO. They'd fuck it up. Aerie would join a band and fall in love with a mysterious guy carrying a huge sword.

corvax · Feb 10, 2008

Radisshu said:
skyway said:

come to think of it
Squaresoft would actually make a nice spin-off of BG with Aerie as the main character. Aerie fits into jRPGs so perfectly

Click to expand...

Oh NO. They'd fuck it up. Aerie would join a band and fall in love with a mysterious guy carrying a huge sword.

Oh NO. Aerie did already fall in love with a gay ass bard in BGII.

MetalCraze · Feb 10, 2008

she did?
HaerDalis?

Micmu · Feb 10, 2008

Possible candidates:

-Bethesda
-Microsoft
-Spiderweb Software
-Squaresoft

Might add ID Software and Valve to your mighty list.

On the topic... It's Obsidian. No choice there. They have the means, they have the skills, but do they have the will?

corvax · Feb 10, 2008

skyway said:
she did?
HaerDalis?

Have both of them in your party next time. They're a rather interesting match. Two whiners. Your character completes the wild love triangle. To answer your question, yes.

MetalCraze · Feb 10, 2008

oh shit
good thing I've left aerie in the circus and killed heardalis this time. though if I knew this earlier I would probably feed aerie to the wolves.
and what's even better - with BG2 it's possible.

Brother None · Feb 10, 2008

Section8 said:
Since interplay is gone, who has it?

Click to expand...

Wizards of the Coast.

Winnar. The actual main license still belongs to Wizards of the Coast.

However, the old deal between Hasbro and Atari still stands (Andhaira: I have no idea why you think either Atari or Interplay is gone, they both still exist). The current Atari is still a subsidiary of Infogrames, and that's still the successor of Hasbro Interactive.

So yes: Hasbro and its subsidiary WotC own all D&D related copyrights. However, Atari holds sway over all use of anything D&D-related in video games (hence why they published NWN2).

Interplay only owns the Dark Alliance license. They never owned Baldur's Gate. Neither did BioWare. No idea where you'd get that idea from.

fastpunk · Feb 10, 2008

Thanks for the info, Brother None. That made things clear.

But if the higher forces ever decide that there should be a BG3, then I'd say it should be done by BioWare. To be fair, BG is their child so they should get to continue it. As much as I'd like Obsidian to do it, I think they'd prefer to do something different... I would prefer to see something different too, like maybe an original setting? That would be nice.

Brother None · Feb 10, 2008

Well, this might be odd coming from me, but if you ask me which game was the most heart-rending cancellation of the three that closed off BIS; TORN, Jefferson or Van Buren, I'd definitely have to go with Jefferson AKA Baldur's Gate III.

I mean hell, it was almost finished, and it was looking good. Sure, Van Buren looked good in retrospect, but it never really had a snowball's chance in hell, either.

But meh, with that BG III out, I think it's best left to die. I mean, why not? It doesn't need another sequel.

Volourn · Feb 10, 2008

1. BIO

2. Obsidian

mjorkerina · Feb 10, 2008

I don't think we need yet another game based on the sword coast. Let the Baldur's Gate name rot, please. It doesn't need to be named BG to be in the Forgotten Realms.

Who has the Baldurs Gate 3 liscense/Who SHOULD have it?

Arcane

I like Thief THIS much

Prophet

Arcane

Arcane

Arcane

Arcane

Self-Ejected

Arcane

Self-Ejected

Cipher

Erudite

Augur

Arcane

Prophet

Augur

Arcane

Magister

Augur

Arcane

inXile Entertainment

Arbiter

inXile Entertainment

Pretty Princess

Scholar