Baldur's Gate - Something Is Coming

[Dannager]

News is circulating today about the revival of the Baldur's Gate official website.

The teaser is reportedly unrelated to the upcoming Steam release of the Baldur's Gate series, so whatever it is will be an exciting reveal.

The Kotaku article discusses the possibility of an iOS port of the game(s). I'd love a new Infinity Engine game, but I realize the market hurdles that would face. Regardless, I'm glad to see the old series getting some new attention.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Hmmm.....an MMO with an infinity based script mayhaps?

 

[Dannager]

Hmmm.....an MMO with an infinity based script mayhaps?

I'd be astounded. There is already a D&D MMORPG on the market (D&D Online) with a new expansion pack just announced, and an upcoming D&D MMORPG (Neverwinter) currently in development. I can't see them licensing the IP out for another title right now. I also don't think an Infinity Engine MMO could compete in today's market. Single player, maybe. Maaaaaaaaybe.

 

[Kzach]

I'd be astounded. There is already a D&D MMORPG on the market (D&D Online) with a new expansion pack just announced, and an upcoming D&D MMORPG (Neverwinter) currently in development. I can't see them licensing the IP out for another title right now. I also don't think an Infinity Engine MMO could compete in today's market. Single player, maybe. Maaaaaaaaybe.

I wouldn't underestimate the potential of such a game if I were you. Imagine a side-scrolling MMO that runs on iOS and Android that you could just log in and play for an hour on the train to work in the morning and back home at night, or on your school lunch-break or at home in-between housework. Could be a big hit, especially if it's free with micro-charges; suckers seem to love them.

 

[Dannager]

I wouldn't underestimate the potential of such a game if I were you. Imagine a side-scrolling MMO that runs on iOS and Android that you could just log in and play for an hour on the train to work in the morning and back home at night, or on your school lunch-break or at home in-between housework. Could be a big hit, especially if it's free with micro-charges; suckers seem to love them.

Aside from the side-scrolling aspect, that sounds pretty much exactly like the other current Forgotten Realms MMO I forgot to mention - the Facebook-platform Heroes of Neverwinter. Right down to the play-for-an-hour, free-to-play, microtransaction-based details.

Like I said, the D&D MMO field is pretty saturated at the moment - two existing (and actively supported) products and one in the development pipeline. It's possible they've got a fourth in the works, but it really would surprise the hell out of me.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I play DDO. It is frankly far enough removed from regular D&D, due to the Ebberon tie in that it might not be a consideration.

The Neverwinter MMO is something I'm not familiar with because, I don't do Facebook, in any form. But this might be a way to tie the mass market into the legacy game. While Baldur's Gate and the following sequels are some of the most beloved games of all time, they were originally targeted to RPG geeks. Perhaps NMMO is a casting of the nets to suck in people that would otherwise not be MMORPG players (much like WoW celebrity word of mouth back in the day) and then use it as a "gateway drug" to more hardcore CRPGs/MMOs. (Pure conjecture and speculation on my part to be sure.)

Or, since BioWare owns the rights to Baldur's Gate and is trying desperately hard not to give it up, this could be a shot at re-branding in order to retain copyright/royalty/publishing rights. Business law doesn't state a product has to be profitable to be protected but it does has to be currently published (ie a working title not a pre-released product) and this would give them 15 more years to play with it. (Again, merely conjecture, but a possibility; one garnered from similar stuff that happens in the music industry to retain publishing rights, something I'm intimately knowledgeable of. )

Either way, I'm psyched-up. I miss BioWare playing with the D&D property, they seemed to have the best handle on how to proceed with it, and most (not all) of the other companies have frankly, blown it big time.

 

[Dannager]

I play DDO. It is frankly far enough removed from regular D&D, due to the Ebberon tie in that it might not be a consideration.

D&D Online is, as you probably know, receiving an expansion in the near future that introduces the Forgotten Realms. So D&D Online will become another Forgotten Realms MMORPG.

On top of Heroes of Neverwinter.

And Neverwinter.

The idea of four currently-supported MMORPGs in the same setting just seems like poor business.

The Neverwinter MMO is something I'm not familiar with because, I don't do Facebook, in any form. But this might be a way to tie the mass market into the legacy game. While Baldur's Gate and the following sequels are some of the most beloved games of all time, they were originally targeted to RPG geeks. Perhaps NMMO is a casting of the nets to suck in people that would otherwise not be MMORPG players (much like WoW celebrity word of mouth back in the day) and then use it as a "gateway drug" to more hardcore CRPGs/MMOs. (Pure conjecture and speculation on my part to be sure.)

I feel I should clarify that the Facebook MMORPG (Heroes of Neverwinter) is a completely separate game from the in-development Neverwinter MMORPG.

Or, since BioWare owns the rights to Baldur's Gate and is trying desperately hard not to give it up, this could be a shot at re-branding in order to retain copyright/royalty/publishing rights. Business law doesn't state a product has to be profitable to be protected but it does has to be currently published (ie a working title not a pre-released product) and this would give them 15 more years to play with it. (Again, merely conjecture, but a possibility; one garnered from similar stuff that happens in the music industry to retain publishing rights, something I'm intimately knowledgeable of. )

A couple of points.

First, the most recent entrant into the Baldur's Gate series was Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2, which was released in 2004. That gives them another seven years even under the 15-year rule.

Second, the Baldur's Gate series is currently being published and distributed through both brick-and-mortar and digital distribution channels. It was just recently re-released as part of a megapack including all of the Infinity Engine games and Neverwinter Nights. It is expected that we will see a Steam platform release in the near future.

I don't really see them doing this as a move to retain rights. They have a lot of room, here. They probably just think it's a good time to develop whatever it is they've decided to develop.

Either way, I'm psyched-up. I miss BioWare playing with the D&D property, they seemed to have the best handle on how to proceed with it, and most (not all) of the other companies have frankly, blown it big time.

...I miss Black Isle...

 

[LightPhoenix]

I'd be more excited if I didn't already buy them for a good deal, entirely DRM free, on GOG.

 

[Banshee16]

Either way, I'm psyched-up. I miss BioWare playing with the D&D property, they seemed to have the best handle on how to proceed with it, and most (not all) of the other companies have frankly, blown it big time.

Black Isle "got it" also.....they did Planescape: Torment afterall. Didn't they also do the Icewind Dale series?

Since those glory days, it's been rather downhill, unfortunately. Hasbro's done a miserable job of picking dance partners.

Banshee

 

[Banshee16]

Since we're on the topic, does anyone know if the Baldur's Gates games (or PS:T) work on Windows 7?

Banshee