Larian Unveils New "Divinity" Game at The Game Awards, Promising a Darker and Grandiose Experience

Larian Studios, fresh off the monumental success of Baldur's Gate 3, has officially lifted the veil on its next major title: simply "Divinity." The announcement, made at The Game Awards, confirms widespread speculation following cryptic clues like a mysterious desert statue and trademark filings. While specific gameplay details and a launch window remain under wraps, Geoff Keighley has described the upcoming game as Larian's most ambitious undertaking to date, even surpassing the scope of the acclaimed Baldur's Gate 3.

The reveal was preceded by an intriguing live performance, adding to the theatricality of the announcement. The subsequent pre-rendered trailer offered a stark contrast to Larian's typically vibrant fantasy aesthetics, presenting a significantly darker and more unsettling vision. The footage depicted a man undergoing a gruesome immolation within a Wicker Man-like structure, observed by revelers whose celebration devolves into a bacchanalian scene. This disturbing tableau was overseen by flagellants and a masked cultist, all set against a backdrop of a celestial conjunction.

This macabre spectacle culminates in the emergence of an unholy entity that assaults the participants. After a brief black screen, the trailer reveals a horrifying fusion of bodies, forming a grotesque figure reminiscent of the enigmatic desert statue that had previously sparked widespread discussion and speculation. The revelation definitively answered months of theories, confirming that the statue was neither a harbinger of global catastrophe nor a marketing ploy for another well-known fantasy RPG.

Following the immense popularity of Baldur's Gate 3, Larian surprised the gaming community by announcing that it would not pursue an expansion or direct sequel to its award-winning title. Instead, the studio confirmed it had two projects in development. Many enthusiasts had correctly predicted a return to the beloved Divinity universe, a setting that has been central to Larian's main games prior to Baldur's Gate 3. The new title, simply "Divinity," suggests a fresh start, perhaps aiming to engage a new generation of players without the burden of intricate prior lore, while potentially reinterpreting the series' convoluted timeline.

While bearing the singular title "Divinity," this new entry is expected to be more than a mere hard reboot, much like the Original Sin games. Divinity: Original Sin, released in 2014, was set millennia before other installments and reimagined certain aspects of the world's history and lore. Similarly, Divinity: Original Sin 2, a highly acclaimed title from 2017, significantly altered the characterization of prominent figures from previous games and even allowed for actions that created paradoxical narrative outcomes. This playful disregard for strict continuity has long been a hallmark of Larian's approach, and it remains to be seen if this tradition will persist or if the studio will endeavor to streamline the series' intricate narrative threads.

The newly unveiled "Divinity" marks the first time a game in the series has carried such a concise title, distinguishing it from its predecessors like 2000's "Divine Divinity." Interestingly, Larian's publishing director, Michael Douse, had previously stated there were no plans for a "Divinity Original Sin 3," a statement that, while technically true, was a clever play on words given the new game's simple nomenclature. This fresh iteration of Divinity promises to be a significant evolution for Larian Studios, blending familiar fantasy elements with a darker, more mature narrative tone, and an expansive world designed to captivate both long-time fans and newcomers alike.