Summary
CRPG sequels are popular with both players and developers, but problems arrive when intricate stories with multiple endings need to be addressed in sequels. As video games typically take a long time to develop, with increasingly long development times as technology evolves, this problem can take a while to cause issues. Thanks to a change of hands from Larian back to Wizards of the Coast and a history of establishing canon,Baldur’s Gate 3may have avoided this problem. In fact, whileBaldur’s Gate 3sidesteps this, other games fall prey to it.
This issue is affecting BioWare games, in particularMass EffectandDragon Age, withMass Effect 4needing to explain the restoration of a galaxy that had four vastly different outcomes.Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s issues aren’t small either, with many branching choices fromDragon Age: Inquisitionthat could dramatically affect the outcome ofDragon Age: Dreadwolf.
The Issue of Canon In Baldur’s Gate
A Sequel for Baldur’s Gate 3
No matter how far in the future a game sequel is set, some of the outcomes ofBaldur’s Gate 3, such as taking control of the Netherbrain and ruling the world, cannot be accounted for in a sequel. Other possibilities, such as whether the protagonist was Tav or the Dark Urge, would need to be canonized, or if they existed at all.
Canon in Baldur’s Gate
Larian Studios has returned the rights toBaldur’s Gateto Wizards of the Coast, with the understanding that Larian Studios will not be making any sequels or add-on content forBaldur’s Gate 3. This isn’t new for the IP, withBaldur’s Gatechanging studios multiple timesthroughout its history.
The first protagonist was canonized with a name and history as aBhaalspawn called Abdel Adrianwho became Grand Duke of Baldur’s Gate, assuming the title before Ulder Ravengard. Gorion’s Ward, like the player character inBaldur’s Gate 3, had a customizable name, gender, class, and race that canonizing effectively removed for the sequels.
BioWare’s History with Canon
Mass Effect 3’s New Canon Ending
WithBaldur’s Gatechanging ownership once again and no confirmed sequels for the future, there isn’t any concern about any of the endings or protagonists being canonized as yet. The same can’t be said forMass EffectandDragon Age, where the games' canon remains the elephant in the room for their respective sequels. With the entire galaxy possibly being destroyed inMass Effect 3, BioWare has a big task ahead of it to setMass Effect 4in the same galaxy.
BioWare had even gone so far as to set theMass Effect Trilogy’s first sequel,Mass Effect: Andromeda, in an entirely different galaxy partially thanks to the issue of canon. With the Destroy ending possibly being made canon, BioWare has walked back its previous statements about never making any of theendings ofMass Effect 3canon.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s Choices
Dragon Age: Dreadwolfhas a similar problem that deals with how the player decides to deal with the fate of the Inquisition at the end ofDragon Age: Inquisition: Trespasser, whether to disband or continue it. Another issue is theInquisitor’s relationship with Solas: whether the Inquisitor romanced him, and whether the Inquisitor decided to save or defeat him. These may seem like minor decisions in the face ofMass Effect’s galaxy’s status, but should be integral in the outcome ofDragon Age: Dreadwolf.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
