A prestige television adaptation of what has to be my favorite video game sounds like a dream come true — or at least, it should. Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most celebrated RPGs of the decade, a rare lightning-in-a-bottle success that managed to satisfy longtime D&D fans while pulling in an entirely new audience. On paper, this is the kind of announcement that sounds almost too good to be true.
And yet, from the moment fans began learning more about the project, something about it felt off to many. Not because Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t belong on television, it absolutely does, but because adaptations live or die on the smaller details. The characters, the pacing, and the emotional logic that make a world feel inhabited rather than performed. When a project starts removing those foundations before it even begins, excitement has a way of curdling into concern.
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HBO’s Baldur’s Gate 3 Series Has Obvious Potential—But There is One Thing Missing
You’ve heard of the “elephant in the room.” That one gnawing, omnipresent fact or person that is too large or important to ignore. Well, in this Baldur’s Gate 3 show, there’s actually an elephant that is missing. In an X post, Geoff Keighley confirms that Larian Studios has no involvement in the TV series.
For fans who have spent hundreds of hours with Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios’ absence is not a minor production footnote: it is a startling omission. Learning that the creators most responsible for BG3’s magic are not directly involved is the kind of revelation that reframes the entire adaptation, especially for an audience that knows exactly how rare that level of care really is.
What We Know About HBO's Baldur’s Gate 3 Adaptation
At first glance, most people would infer that a Baldur’s Gate 3 TV show would adapt the story that players know: from a downtrodden party’s first days of infection to their epic showdown against the Absolute in the city. However, a “Baldur’s Gate 3 adaptation” isn’t even all that accurate. Here’s what we know so far:
- HBO's adaptation takes place immediately after Baldur's Gate 3's ending.
- Baldur’s Gate’s Upper City and some of the Lower City were destroyed in the process.
- New and old characters will return.
What we know are the broad strokes of the series. Naturally, upon reading the premises, Baldur’s Gate 3 players will have plenty of unanswered questions:
- Which of Baldur’s Gate 3’s many endings will the series adopt?
- Did a Tav, Durge, or Origin Character lead the party?
- Which of Baldur’s Gate 3’s party member endings will HBO pursue?
- Will Baldur’s Gate 3’s actors reprise their roles?
Larian Is Not Involved In The Baldur’s Gate 3 Series. Is That a Bad Omen?
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Larian Studios’ absence does not automatically doom the Baldur’s Gate 3 adaptation. With the series reportedly set after the events of the game, HBO and Hasbro have considerable freedom to chart new territory without retreading familiar ground. In theory, that creative distance could allow the show to stand on its own, unburdened by the expectations of faithfully recreating a player-driven experience. The concern begins to surface when familiarity enters the equation.
This game is not beloved solely because of its overarching plot, but because of how carefully its characters are written, paced, and allowed to evolve. BG3's companions are not static archetypes; they are reactive, contradictory, and shaped by choice in ways that feel deeply intentional.
If HBO’s Baldur’s Gate tells a largely original story with a new cast, Larian’s lack of involvement may ultimately matter very little. But if the series leans on BG3’s relationships, characters, or unresolved endings, that absence becomes far more consequential. At that point, it is no longer about continuity. It is about authorship. Without the studio that defined these characters’ emotional logic, the adaptation risks mistaking surface traits for substance, expanding the world while quietly misunderstanding its heart.
Not All Is Doom and Gloom For The Baldur’s Gate 3 Adaptation
Consulted, Not Entirely Forgotten
Although Larian’s lack of involvement may be a justifiable concern for many BG3 fans, a blessing and good wishes may offer some solace. Larian CEO and Creative Director Swen Vincke posted on X an encouraging note about the upcoming HBO series. In that note, he states that showrunner Craig Mazin has reached out “for a chat.”
That small gesture carries more weight than it might seem. Reaching out suggests an awareness that Baldur’s Gate 3 is not just a setting or a brand, but a carefully constructed narrative experience shaped by specific creative values.
If Vincke’s response is any indication, there is only cautious optimism here. And in an era where many adaptations treat their source material as optional, even that level of goodwill is meaningful. It does not guarantee success, but it does suggest that the people steering this adaptation understand what is at stake. Most importantly, they know that the blessing of those who built the foundation they now stand on is crucial.
The Kind of Enthusiasm That Matters
Baldur’s Gate 3 has enjoyed a vibrant life even after Patch 8. The collective passion for the game hasn’t died thanks to its vibrant fandom. Twitch streamers, fan artists, cosplayers, content creators, and hordes of new players have brought new life into the game—and we constantly witness waves of new people falling in love with the world that Larian Studios created. That passion matters. And that passion has created labors of love.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 show is spearheaded by Craig Mazin, American filmmaker best known for his work on Chernobyl and HBO's The Last of Us. Apart from this, he is also a superfan of Baldur’s Gate 3 like the rest of us. He’s bragged about putting in nearly a thousand hours into the world we fell in love with, and has claimed to beat Honour Mode. In his conversation with Deadline, one thing stands out among the reasonable concerns players may have: a deep respect and love for the source material. And that, year after year, has kept Baldur’s Gate 3 alive—no matter what that life looks like post-launch.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
