- HBO has announced what its next videogame adaptation will be
- It’s making a TV follow-up to Larian Studios’ award-winning title Baldur’s Gate 3
- Development will be led by one of The Last of Us show’s co-showrunners
HBO has revealed that it’s making a TV sequel to the critically-acclaimed video game Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3).
Per Deadline, the celebrated US TV network has announced that it’s making a direct follow-up to Larian Studios’ multi-award-winning title. Craig Mazin, one of the co-creators of HBO’s The Last of Us TV adaptation, will lead development on the project. HBO will produce the series alongside Wizards of the Coast and the latter’s parent company, Hasbro Entertainment
For those unfamiliar with Baldur’s Gate 3: it’s a role-playing game (RPG) set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in which you create your own character, and can play through its 100 hour+ story alone or with friends.
Released in late 2023, it was met with universally positive reviews by fans and critics alike (read our Baldur’s Gate 3 review to see if we agreed with the general consensus). Given the praise that it received, it’s little surprise that BG3 dominated numerous videogame award ceremonies before the end of 2023 – the RPG picking up multiple prizes at The Game Awards, Gold Joystick Awards, and D.I.C.E Awards.
In a statement accompanying the reveal, Mazin said: “After putting nearly 1,000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur’s Gate 3, it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of The Coast created.
“I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can, and I’m deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property.”
Opinion: HBO’s Baldur’s Gate 3 TV show is going to divide fans, whether it means to or not
As mentioned, unlike its retelling of the story that plays out across Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us duology, HBO’s take on BG3 won’t be a direct adaptation of its story. Indeed, it’ll pick up after the latter’s world-changing finale, which means its TV depiction will be a direct continuation of the tale that unfolded in Larian’s RPG.
On the one hand, that’s great news for Mazin and everyone else associated with Baldur’s Gate 3‘s TV show. Because they aren’t beholden to retelling the game’s story, they’ll have full creative freedom to take it in whatever direction they please. When Baldur’s Gate 3‘s small-screen adaptation eventually releases on HBO Max and more of the world’s best streaming services, then, it’ll tell an original tale, which should please new and established fans alike.
And I say “should”, because there’s no guarantee that BG3 fans will like what they see. As it’s an RPG, every Baldur’s Gate 3 player’s story will have played out differently to everyone else’s. That means that the ending of their game will be unique to them. However, by adapting BG3, HBO runs the risk of alienating and/or upsetting long-time fans by making a specific BG3 ending canon via its TV adaptation.
The ‘canon ending’ issue is one that Prime Video also ran into with Fallout season 2. Ever since we learned that this show’s latest season would spend time in New Vegas, aka the main location of the Obsidian-developed Fallout: New Vegas game, fans debated which of its multiple endings would be deemed canon by Amazon’s TV adaptation. The short answer? None of them, which only served to confuse and frustrate viewers who have played Fallout: New Vegas, and earned an ending that’s been their headcanon for years.
How will HBO, Mazin, and company approach BG3‘s TV sequel, then? Do they risk the wrath of its fanbase by selecting one of its many endings as the definitive canon ending? Or do they follow Prime Video’s lead and sidestep an issue that’ll both please and annoy fans? We’ll find out once Baldur’s Gate 3‘s TV show arrives years down the line.
In the meantime, get the lowdown on everything we know so far about The Last of Us season 3. Alternatively, read my breakdown of Fallout season 2’s ending and then what we know so far about Fallout season 3.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
