When is Baldur's Gate 4 coming out? No release date, no developer — Larian won't make it. The HBO series, WotC's plans and what's actually next.
Baldur's Gate 4 Release Date: Everything We Know in 2026
There is no Baldur's Gate 4 release date — because there is no Baldur's Gate 4. Larian Studios, the developer behind BG3's record-breaking success, announced in March 2024 that it would not make the game, and no other studio has been publicly attached since. What exists instead: an HBO series in development, an official book line, and a franchise owner (Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast) that has publicly said it wants to keep the license active. This guide covers every fact, rumor and realistic timeline.
Official resources: IGN — Larian won't make BG4 · Variety — HBO series announcement · Deadline — Mazin & HBO exclusive · Steam store page
Is Baldur's Gate 4 in Development?
No confirmed developer, no announced project, no release date. Here's the full public record:
- March 2024 — Larian exits. At GDC, Swen Vincke said Larian would not make BG3 expansions or Baldur's Gate 4, and would "move away from D&D." The statement was unambiguous: "We're not going to make Baldur's Gate 4, which everybody is expecting us to do."
- Larian started DLC work and stopped it. Vincke told IGN the studio began preliminary work but the D&D constraints meant it "wasn't really coming from the heart," and the team wanted to make new things instead. Larian is now on two new projects (one a "next level" Divinity game), and has said it will not return to the license.
- No other studio has been named. Since 2024 there have been recurring "WotC is shopping the license" reports, but nothing has been officially confirmed by Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, or any developer.
Per IGN's report of Larian's GDC announcement, "if there is a Baldur's Gate 4, it won't be coming from Larian" — the developer returned the IP to Wizards of the Coast and moved on to new projects.
Why Larian Walked Away — and Whether It's Permanent
The short version: Larian isn't interested in sequel factories. Vincke has said repeatedly that the studio is "not a company that's made to create DLCs, expansions" and that repeating BG3 would be "literally the opposite of what Larian is about." This isn't a negotiating position — Larian has spent 2024-2026 staffing and talking about two original projects, including a return to its own Divinity universe. Expecting Larian to come back for BG4 is expecting a different company.
That said, the franchise itself is too valuable to sit dead. BG3 made Hasbro an estimated $90 million and drove Wizards of the Coast's digital gaming growth in 2023-2024; Hasbro's CEO Chris Cocks has said the company wants to "lean on the Baldur's Gate franchise" — which is why the IP work happening now is on the screen and page, not the game.
The HBO Series: The Franchise's Next Big Bet
The closest thing to "what's next for Baldur's Gate" is television. In February 2026, Variety and Deadline reported that HBO is developing a Baldur's Gate drama series with Craig Mazin (The Last of Us co-creator) attached to create, write and showrun. Hasbro Entertainment is executive producing, with Wizards of the Coast's former Head of Story Chris Perkins consulting. Reports indicate the series will continue the story of Baldur's Gate 3's world.
There is no release date, cast or writer's room confirmation as of mid-2026 — TV development of this scale typically runs 2-4 years, so a realistic window is late 2028 at the earliest. It's the strongest signal yet that Hasbro treats BG3's setting as a franchise, not a one-off.
Could Wizards of the Coast Make BG4 With Another Studio?
It's possible, and it's the most likely path if a BG4 ever happens — but nothing is confirmed. The historical precedent is instructive: WotC has licensed D&D games to multiple studios simultaneously (Neverwinter, Solasta, and the current D&D action-RPG projects), and the BG3 rights are owned by Hasbro, not Larian. A new studio would face a brutal bar: matching BG3's quality bar while working under D&D 5th edition's licensing constraints, the same constraint that killed Larian's own DLC ambitions.
Realistic honest answer: if a BG4 is announced tomorrow, it would still be 4-6 years out given AAA RPG development timelines (BG3 itself took ~6 years from greenlight to launch). If the license is being shopped now with no announcement through 2026, the earliest conceivable release is around 2030 — and that's speculation, not a date. Anyone selling you a "Baldur's Gate 4 release date" is guessing.
"Baldur's Gate 4 release date" is a high-traffic search, so scam pages and clickbait channels invent dates ("Q4 2027!", "leaked trailer!") to harvest clicks. There is no official BG4 announcement, no trailer, no store page, and no developer. If a site claims otherwise, check whether it links to Hasbro, WotC or a named studio — none does.
What To Actually Play While Waiting
The good news: you don't need BG4, because BG3 in 2026 is a finished masterpiece with enormous replay value. Our main guide covers the full game, the DLC guide explains why there's no expansion coming (and the free content you already got), and the mods guide shows the community content that keeps adding new stories. The trilogy guide is there if you want the 1998-2000 classics while you wait.
Larian: will not make BG4. Another studio: possible but unnamed. HBO series: in development, no date, realistically 2028+. BG4 release date: if ever announced, still 4-6 years away. Verdict: don't wait for it — play what exists, which is a lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Baldur's Gate 4 coming out?
There is no release date because no Baldur's Gate 4 is in announced development. Larian won't make it, and no other studio has been named. If it were announced tomorrow, a realistic release would still be 4-6 years away.
Is Baldur's Gate 4 in development?
Not publicly. Larian confirmed in March 2024 it would not make the game, and Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast has not announced a replacement developer. Recurring rumors of the license being shopped around have never been confirmed.
Will Larian make Baldur's Gate 4?
No. Founder Swen Vincke has said this repeatedly and unambiguously: Larian is moving away from D&D entirely and is now working on two new games, including a return to the Divinity universe.
Is there a Baldur's Gate HBO series?
Yes — announced February 2026. HBO is developing a Baldur's Gate drama with Craig Mazin (The Last of Us) attached to create, write and showrun, with Hasbro Entertainment executive producing. No cast or release date yet.
What will Wizards of the Coast do with the Baldur's Gate IP?
Hasbro has said it wants to keep investing in the franchise — BG3 made it an estimated $90 million. Current signs point to the HBO series and the official book line (including the Astarion prequel novel, see our merch guide) as the near-term focus, with no confirmed game project.
Related Guides
- Baldur's Gate 3 Review — the game that made the franchise unavoidable
- Baldurs Gate 3 DLC — no expansions, and the free content you got instead
- Baldur's Gate Trilogy Guide — the original saga and play order
- Baldur's Gate 3 Mod Guide — community content to keep the game fresh
- Baldur's Gate 3 Guide — the complete onboarding
Last updated: August 13, 2026.
More Baldur's Gate 3 Guides
The best official Baldur's Gate 3 merch: Larian's store, the Deluxe Edition, official books (including the Astarion novel) and the collectibles worth buying.
Complete Baldur's Gate 3 mod guide: the official in-game mod manager, the Toolkit, how to install mods on PC and console, and the best community mods.
How to start a new Baldur's Gate 3 campaign: game modes, Honour Mode rules, Custom Mode, modded runs, Dark Urge, and Act 3 secrets worth a second playthrough.
Every major Baldur's Gate 3 patch explained: Patch 1 through Patch 8, Honour Mode, the mod manager, crossplay, photo mode, and where to read official notes.
Baldur's Gate 3 PC requirements: official minimum and recommended specs, storage and SSD warnings, Steam Deck support, and real 1080p performance.
How to buy a Baldur's Gate 3 physical copy: the Deluxe Edition box for PS5, Xbox and PC, discs, contents, price, and where to find one in 2026.
Baldur's Gate 3 price history: the $59.99 base price, standard $44.99 sale discounts, Deluxe upgrade pricing, CD key safety and when to buy on each platform.
The Baldur's Gate 3 review, three years on: critic scores, what makes it great, the honest criticisms, sales, and whether it's worth buying in 2026.