If they do a reboot, I'll be skeptical but open.

Unless the Hamburger Helper is involved. In which case, I'll know that it's sub-fanfiction quality garbage way ahead of time, and will avoid it like the black death.

Well I never tried mods for BG games so I can't comment on necessity of HD re-release. However I'd be curious to see how they plan to make a 13 year old game look fresh. I'll patiently wait for more news. Prospects are too beautiful to contemplate.

I posted this thread fairly recently: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.351701-Rumors-of-a-new-Baldurs-Gate-game#13924879

I stand by what I said, I'm very excited.

80Maxwell08:

Phred:
This is not Bioware.

1) This is being handled by Beamdog. That means that at best, this is a port.

2) Bioware does not have a license to do any more D&D work. They don't even own any of the characters or any IP outside of the actual engine used to create Baldur's Gate. The game name is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast. I think the only thing EA is allowed to do is port the existing game to other platforms, like what they've done previously.

3) I find it hard to believe people in this day and age still think Faerun, D&D, etc, are owned or controlled by Bioware. Bioware can't make any kind of Baldur's Gate sequel without getting a license--that's why they created Dragon Age, they simply don't own that property and want to own their own IP.

I'm also amazed by those same people. Seriously a quick google search will find that. Bioware themselves have said they don't have the licence. It's like all those people who jump on silicon knights for not making Eternal Darkness, a game they don't have the license to. Also thanks for pointing out it's from Beamdog. I just googled them and found 3 different news articles about this.
http://www.vg247.com/2012/02/29/baldurs-gate-announce-incoming-from-beamdog/
http://www.gamespot.com/news/baldurs-gate-project-in-the-works-at-beamdog-report-6354851
http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/107098-baldurs-gate-website-surfaces-announcement-coming-soon.html
Considering they are made of ex Bioware employees that makes sense. Still wondering what their project is supposed to be. Though not having played Baldur's Gate myself (couldn't get any mods working) I don't know anything about it but I at least like RPGs and since Dragon Age Origins was basically Baldur's Gate (from what I've been told) I suppose I might like this as long as it's done right.

This is just an opinion before I get told off (though I doubt I will) but Dragon Age had nothing on Baldurs Gate. Nothing. So yeah, if you like RPG's Baldurs Gate is up there as one of the best in my opinion.

Candidus:
If they do a reboot, I'll be skeptical but open.

Unless the Hamburger Helper is involved. In which case, I'll know that it's sub-fanfiction quality garbage way ahead of time, and will avoid it like the black death.

Did you ever even play DA:O?

spectrenihlus:
So your move everyone who said they would boycott Bioware/EA after ME3

*cries*

It's not fair!!!

Dammit, I will stay strong.

Ah yes the moans of the offended masses screeching about something that came out a while back like it will somehow change things. Much like after the release of Episode 1 really.

Correct me if I am wrong, but EA owns Bioware, and EA does not release anything on Steam anymore.
Or does someone else hold the rights to Baulders Gate?

Probably it will be an HD re-release, but I would not be shocked if its BG3.
Though I would prefer a Jade Empire 2 first.

Knight Templar:

Candidus:
If they do a reboot, I'll be skeptical but open.

Unless the Hamburger Helper is involved. In which case, I'll know that it's sub-fanfiction quality garbage way ahead of time, and will avoid it like the black death.

Did you ever even play DA:O?

Yeah, as a matter of fact I did. And its disastrous sequel, which like most victims of it I quite regret. DA:O was an alright game viewed in isolation, but it isn't the equal of Baldur's Gate in terms of scale, quantity or quality of content, voice work or script and narrative by a long, long, long way.

Bioware is not a company with writers capable of repeating that standard at the moment. I'd love for the truth to be different, I'm just willing to accept the abundant evidence that it isn't.

The idea of that Twilight worshipping buffoon working on a Baldur's Gate successor makes me violently ill. With good reason.

I've played Baldurs gate 1, and loved it, can't quite get into Baldurs gate 2 but after i finish Mass Effect 3 i may try again to do so.

Im not sure what to make of this to be honest, If there was a Baldurs gate 3 i'd be open minded enough to support it, but from what i've been told the Ending for 2 was perfect, and beautiful closure for a well beloved series is a rare thing indeed.

All the logic in the world will not stop me from wanting a new Baldur's Gate game.

You can tell me it can't possibly stand up to BG2.

I don't care.

I want it.

But it's looking like it'll be some kind of snazzy re-release, which doesn't mean much to me. My BG2 is modded to the hilt. I couldn't go back to playing vanilla.

Baldur's Gate has concluded. I wouldn't want to see its serene slumber disturbed. Nothing good can come of this.

Its too bad I no longer trust Bioware not to let EA screw up their games. ME3 is a prime example, I loved the first 2 but 3 with its story necessary race cut out as dlc unless you buy the collectors edition is just crap. Bioware no longer has my respect. Back in the day they were great but now they are just out to nickle and dime us to death.

As much as I would love a new Baulders gate I just know that EA will find a way to deliver 3/4 of a complete product for 60 bucks and charge us another 50 or so in dlc just to get the whole thing.

Its not Bioware.

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/107098-baldurs-gate-website-surfaces-announcement-coming-soon.html

Don't lose any sleep,it is just Dragon Age III!

Don't lose any sleep,it is just Dragon Age III!

Screw Mass Effect 3! THIS shit gets me hyped!

I'm personally hoping for a HD remake. /)^3^(\

Please, please, please-remake it as a dance simulator just to mess with everyone on these forums!

I should probably get back to the original game: if only my character weren't so useless at fighting.....

As I longingly glance over at my BG2 CE (21878 of 62000. 62000 doesn't sound very exclusive does it?) sitting on one of my bookshelves, I have to agree with what many have already said, that the story of BG is complete. Also, the Realms have been screwed over to hell and back since the release of 4E, lore-wise, so I'm not really sure how or what they'd do to even try a new BG.

It seems like too much of a fuss if all they're doing is re-releasing them, so I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Everyone dreading them doing it with 4e rules (incidentally, I like 4e, and I find most of the complaints about it are irrelevant in the hands of a competent DM). You're forgetting, 5e is coming. If this is a sequel, I'd not be at all surprised to see them use 5e rules, and tie it into the rolling out of the new edition. I'm not saying that would be good, or bad, just that I think it would be likely.

This is really cool news! The more people exposed to this legendary game, the better :)

And now for a shameless (but very relevant) self-promotion:

I've been working on Baldur's Gate: Reloaded for about 5 years now, a free community mod for NWN2 that will be out this summer. It's essentially a full remake of Baldur's Gate, but in 3D and with the 3.5 edition rules. We have custom art, sound, music, scripts--everything. We don't have a website right now (but now that I think about it, we totally should!), but we do have some screenshots:

http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/BG11.jpg
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/BG4.jpg
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/CK3.jpg
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/BanditCampWIP.jpg

You can follow us in this thread for now if you're interested: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/167/index/3120312/27

Is there any way that dummies like me can see this code first-hand without knowing anything about how this stuff works? Just curious.

Zayle79:
Is there any way that dummies like me can see this code first-hand without knowing anything about how this stuff works? Just curious.

Right click on the page and go to 'Inspect Element'. That works on Chrome.

SirBryghtside:

Zayle79:
Is there any way that dummies like me can see this code first-hand without knowing anything about how this stuff works? Just curious.

Right click on the page and go to 'Inspect Element'. That works on Chrome.

Thanks, muthsera. Works on Opera too.

as the original development teams of BG and BG2 have since been drawn and quartered throughout the industry, im curious as to what direction a new game in the series might take. granted its cryptic HTML notes against the fact that beamdog doesnt even have the license to BG (and IP owners have this fucking retarded habit of refusing to license IPs they have no intention of ever using themselves), but its food for thought.

baldurs gate was pretty much the codifying RPG for a decade... i wonder how it would be changed in the modern age of developers that dont even have the balls recognize the RPG as a full genre anymore. im sure the words "streamlined" and "more accessible" will be bandied about in an effort to excuse why the father of D&D based video games is now a hack and slash with a CoD-esque leveling system, but hopefully some measure of the game's depth will endure the shift.

at least bioware isnt allowed to fuck with the BG series anymore. i trust bioware with a new BG game about the same as i trust lucas with another star wars movie. under EA/bioware minsc would violently murder boo for shock value and then incessantly flirt with the player regardless of their gender; and because he has some creepy fangirls on the forums, quayle would be a romance option.

I have my original BG and BG2 CDs on the shelf behind me (remember those days PC gamers? When "DRM" was little more than a 24/32 bit key).

I've no need for a re-release.
I'm behind the times..but does Bioware (and by extension, their leash-holders, EA) not own the BG franchise? If so, I'm a very happy dwagon indeed, since it would mean not giving money to EA.

Otherwise, the news is bittersweet as usual.

mattaui:
As I longingly glance over at my BG2 CE (21878 of 62000. 62000 doesn't sound very exclusive does it?) sitting on one of my bookshelves, I have to agree with what many have already said, that the story of BG is complete. Also, the Realms have been screwed over to hell and back since the release of 4E, lore-wise, so I'm not really sure how or what they'd do to even try a new BG.

...Oh shit! Yeah you're right!
I forgot about the idiocy that launched with 4th Edition.

Really: Why'd they have to kill Mystra?

The line at the bottom of the source reads
<!-- As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life. -->
for me.

So
<!-- February 28, 2012 -->
^ Date the site went up.

<!-- Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead : Infinity Engine -->
^Using the Infinity engine

<!-- For years, I clung to the memory of it. Then the memory of the memory. -->
^Wanted to do this for a while.

<!-- And then... it returned. Better than it was before. -->
^Could be anything. A better game than the last, an update to the engine, or even an improved version of BG 1 or 2

<!-- Pore over the tapestries and works of art hanging from our walls if you wish, Child of Bhaal... perhaps you will find a clue. But patience, ah... patience would reveal it all. -->
^Presumably something else hidden on the page or somewhere else but regardless of if we find it an announcement will be soon.

<!-- As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life. -->
^Another puzzle. Maybe the announcement will be in a month.

Maybe I'm reading into it too much but from what I see: Announcement of a new/ re-released game using the infinity engine in 1 month. Also the source for this page may change further meaning check the source regularly for more clues.

Kungfu_Teddybear:
Knowing BioWare lately, it will be Baldur's Gate 3, but it will be a hack and slash with emo characters and we'll have to pay £30 for day one DLC for each party member.

Candidus:
If they do a reboot, I'll be skeptical but open.

Unless the Hamburger Helper is involved. In which case, I'll know that it's sub-fanfiction quality garbage way ahead of time, and will avoid it like the black death.

The_root_of_all_evil:

spectrenihlus:
So your move everyone who said they would boycott Bioware/EA after ME3

*cries*

It's not fair!!!

Dammit, I will stay strong.

Candidus:

Knight Templar:

Candidus:
If they do a reboot, I'll be skeptical but open.

Unless the Hamburger Helper is involved. In which case, I'll know that it's sub-fanfiction quality garbage way ahead of time, and will avoid it like the black death.

Did you ever even play DA:O?

Yeah, as a matter of fact I did. And its disastrous sequel, which like most victims of it I quite regret. DA:O was an alright game viewed in isolation, but it isn't the equal of Baldur's Gate in terms of scale, quantity or quality of content, voice work or script and narrative by a long, long, long way.

Bioware is not a company with writers capable of repeating that standard at the moment. I'd love for the truth to be different, I'm just willing to accept the abundant evidence that it isn't.

The idea of that Twilight worshipping buffoon working on a Baldur's Gate successor makes me violently ill. With good reason.

Grouchy Imp:
Well, there is that. But even by (rightly) opposing 4th Ed, one must bring up 4th Ed.

_{And someone from Bioware could be listening...}

Fappy:
HEY BIOWARE! USE PATHFINDER OR 3.5 RULES! KTHANX!

Josh Samuelson:
Its too bad I no longer trust Bioware not to let EA screw up their games. ME3 is a prime example, I loved the first 2 but 3 with its story necessary race cut out as dlc unless you buy the collectors edition is just crap. Bioware no longer has my respect. Back in the day they were great but now they are just out to nickle and dime us to death.

As much as I would love a new Baulders gate I just know that EA will find a way to deliver 3/4 of a complete product for 60 bucks and charge us another 50 or so in dlc just to get the whole thing.

Atmos Duality:
I have my original BG and BG2 CDs on the shelf behind me (remember those days PC gamers? When "DRM" was little more than a 24/32 bit key).

I've no need for a re-release.
I'm behind the times..but does Bioware (and by extension, their leash-holders, EA) not own the BG franchise? If so, I'm a very happy dwagon indeed, since it would mean not giving money to EA.

Otherwise, the news is bittersweet as usual.

mattaui:
As I longingly glance over at my BG2 CE (21878 of 62000. 62000 doesn't sound very exclusive does it?) sitting on one of my bookshelves, I have to agree with what many have already said, that the story of BG is complete. Also, the Realms have been screwed over to hell and back since the release of 4E, lore-wise, so I'm not really sure how or what they'd do to even try a new BG.

...Oh shit! Yeah you're right!
I forgot about the idiocy that launched with 4th Edition.

Really: Why'd they have to kill Mystra?

Ok that's the last of them. Now to all of you. Bioware has nothing to do with this at all. A company made of ex Bioware employees called Beamdog is working on something related to the Baldur's Gate games that isn't the complete edition coming to steam. Bioware/EA own absolutely nothing related to any D&D game those rights sit with Atari and Hasbro. A quick google search of Beamdog will have some sources. Now thank you Escapist for FINALLY changing the name of this article.

Jodah:
I wouldn't mind a rerelease with updated UI (NOT a butchered one btw, just one that is a bit more organized and prettier) and updated graphics.

I don't quite understand what's with the graphics. The original games are gorgeous as it is.

And people mention HD remakes. That's what the Widescreen mod is for. And the UI functions better than most modern UIs in any case. There really is zero reason to remake the game. It features 6 player co-op as well.

Drew Rechner:
This is really cool news! The more people exposed to this legendary game, the better :)

And now for a shameless (but very relevant) self-promotion:

I've been working on Baldur's Gate: Reloaded for about 5 years now, a free community mod for NWN2 that will be out this summer. It's essentially a full remake of Baldur's Gate, but in 3D and with the 3.5 edition rules. We have custom art, sound, music, scripts--everything. We don't have a website right now (but now that I think about it, we totally should!), but we do have some screenshots:

http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/BG11.jpg
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/BG4.jpg
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/CK3.jpg
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/drechner_BG/BanditCampWIP.jpg

You can follow us in this thread for now if you're interested: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/167/index/3120312/27

Good lord, that must be a lot of work. That game is huge and the number of areas you have to make must be staggering. Are you doing a complete makeover or are you cutting stuff? I would totally understand if that was the case.