Larian Studios’ next Divinity game will be a turn-based RPG — and the studio is using generative AI for ideation

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Larian Studios, the team behind Baldur’s Gate 3, is starting to share information about their next project. In a recent interview, studio head Swen Vincke confirmed the new game, currently known as Divinity, will be a turn-based role-playing game, similar to their previous successes like Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3, which has sold over 20 million copies since its 2023 release.

The team plans to release Divinity as an early access title, though it likely won’t be available until after 2026. Larian Studios has expanded to 530 developers across several studios, and Vincke hopes this new game will take three to four years to complete – a faster development cycle than the six years it took to create Baldur’s Gate 3.

Larian Studios CEO responds to generative AI backlash

I’ve heard that the studio is experimenting with generative AI, but they’re being careful about it. They’re using it to brainstorm ideas and explore concepts early on, but the final game won’t contain any content actually created by AI. Apparently, there was some debate within Larian Studios about this, but it sounds like everyone’s now on board with how we’re approaching it.

We are absolutely not trying to replace our concept artists with AI, nor are we pressuring them in any way. We currently have a team of 72 artists, including 23 concept artists, and we’re actually expanding that team. I’m incredibly proud of the original artwork they create. This clarification is in response to a direct question about our use of concept art, as of December 16, 2025.

Following the interview, social media has been flooded with reactions, as players and writers voiced their concerns about Larian’s position on AI. Larian’s Alan Vincke clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that they use AI tools for initial brainstorming and reference gathering, similar to using Google or art books. He emphasized that these rough outlines are always replaced with original artwork, and that there’s no real comparison between the two. The debate around using AI in game development continues, with some studios, like Obsidian Entertainment, choosing not to use it at all.

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2025-12-17 02:39