Current Events > What does Larion studio's usually make?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I saw some news that they have no interest in continuing to make Baldur's Gate games.

Weird to me, because I feel like Baldur's Gate is one of the only series that has this style of table top turn based RPG that's almost like FFT and an RTS combined.

I love the game and want more and I've always loved the Shadowrun series, from as far back as SNES.

Harebrain studios made their own Shadowrun games as an homage kind of, and they are very similar to Baldur's Gate, albeit on a lower budget.

This got me thinking, since Larion seems to specialize in this table top genre of turn based RPGs, do you guys think it would be reasonable to expect or hope for a Larion Shadowrun game? I know it's not as big as D&D but it's arguably the next biggest table top game, at least that I'm aware of.

I'm just not familiar with any of their other work and found it bizarre they dismissed any sequel or DLC since they must be on to new projects following their success.

you should try out the Divinity Original Sin games, especially the second from last gen.

it has a lot of similarities with Baldur's Gate 3, but it's more difficult with its magic/physical shield thing.

it's way more chaotic, though, since it goes super heavy with element/environment combos (water+fire causing steam, for example).

They're primarily known for the Divinity series:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larian_Studios#Games_developed

I kind of agree with their decision, to be honest. They made a game and released it to near universal acclaim and did it without any live service nonsense. Anything they build on that will likely be seen with a more critical eye. Better to walk away at your peak and do something new with all that goodwill than have it whittle away over time as expectations become impossible to meet.

They would be a great studio for Shadowrun, but Harebrained Schemes currently owns that license (they made the recent shadowrun trilogy of wrpgs). My guess is they'll either go for an original IP or stick to fantasy and do a warhammer fantasy game.

s0nicfan posted...

They're primarily known for the Divinity series:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larian_Studios#Games_developed

I kind of agree with their decision, to be honest. They made a game and released it to near universal acclaim and did it without any live service nonsense. Anything they build on that will likely be seen with a more critical eye. Better to walk away at your peak and do something new with all that goodwill than have it whittle away over time as expectations become impossible to meet.

They would be a great studio for Shadowrun, but Harebrained Schemes currently owns that license (they made the recent shadowrun trilogy of wrpgs). My guess is they'll either go for an original IP or stick to fantasy and do a warhammer fantasy game.

I didn't know if Harebrained owned Shadowrun, or was just put on the project.

They did a great job with the series and I especially liked Dragonfall, it's just been so long since we've gotten anything from them.

DOS2 was so good I'd rather have them go and make their own thing after BG3. Hopefully sci-fi.

WarfireX posted...

I didn't know if Harebrained owned Shadowrun, or was just put on the project.

They did a great job with the series and I especially liked Dragonfall, it's just been so long since we've gotten anything from them.

Oh, yea to be fair I doubt they own the exclusive rights to the game. Google seems to imply the rights are a bit of a cluster right now but the the videogame rights are owned by Microsoft. I guess my point was more with Harebrained making 3 successful, well-designed and well-received Shadowrun games it doesn't seem likely that the owners would give it to Larian if they wanted to make a new one, rather than the studio that's already done it (which would probably mean it'd be a lot cheaper for them to make a new game over Larian).

EDIT: See the first reply in this steam thread for all the gory details on who owns what with regard to Shadowrun:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/300550/discussions/0/610574827761128380/?l=polish&ctp=3

s0nicfan posted...

Oh, yea to be fair I doubt they own the exclusive rights to the game. Google seems to imply the rights are a bit of a cluster right now but the the videogame rights are owned by Microsoft. I guess my point was more with Harebrained making 3 successful, well-designed and well-received Shadowrun games it doesn't seem likely that the owners would give it to Larian if they wanted to make a new one, rather than the studio that's already done it (which would probably mean it'd be a lot cheaper for them to make a new game over Larian).

EDIT: See the first reply in this steam thread for all the gory details on who owns what with regard to Shadowrun:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/300550/discussions/0/610574827761128380/?l=polish&ctp=3

To be honest, the two games are totally the same. I can't even rightfully say that I think Larian did a better job, it's just clear they were given a much higher budget for that project.

The games are so similar though, I want a Shadowrun that is that high budget, with that much thought put into all the different ways you can approach everything. Whether it's got Harebrained or Larian's name on it.

WarfireX posted...

To be honest, the two games are totally the same. I can't even rightfully say that I think Larian did a better job, it's just clear they were given a much higher budget for that project.

The games are so similar though, I want a Shadowrun that is that high budget, with that much thought put into all the different ways you can approach everything. Whether it's got Harebrained or Larian's name on it.

My take away from that steam thread is that, unfortunately, it's a giant IP minefield if you want to do anything in Shadowrun and it's probably not worth any developer or publisher's efforts to expose themselves to that level of legal risk for an IP that is mostly dead.

Given the genre, I think you're more likely to see Larian do a wrpg for the Cyberpunk franchise instead of Shadowrun if they really wanted to do something futuristic.

I would be more interested in a Cyberpunk game in the vain of Baldur's Gate than I will ever be in the first person Cyberpunk game that bragged it was going to change our lives by letting you customize your characters genitals, but I'm kind of sour on Cyberpunk from the bad marketing angles it took and how it fell flat on its face.

Plus Cyberpunk has always seemed infinitely less imaginative than Shadowrun. It's like a third of what makes Shadowrun cool, and it's so on-the-nose. I couldn't even enjoy the anime.

Cause they have to license BG from Wizards of the coast and it comes with a lot of strings attached. Wotc got 90 millions from BG3's success.

Now they have the money to do whatever they want and the studio recognition thatll net them good sales.