Larian Studios just confirmed what RPG fans were hoping to hear. The studio’s upcoming Divinity game will most likely launch in early access before its full release, following the same successful blueprint used for Divinity: Original Sin 1 and 2, and Baldur’s Gate 3. Studio founder Swen Vincke emphasized that community participation through early access has been crucial to developing all their recent hits, and they’re not abandoning that approach now.
Why Early Access Works for Larian
In an interview with GamesRadar, Vincke explained exactly why Larian keeps returning to the early access model. The community participation is what interests them most, and players have been a large part of how they developed all three previous games. According to Vincke, those games improved massively through early access. Players being invested increases the pressure on developers, but it also creates something really cool through the collaborative process.
The honest admission that it’s painful for developers is refreshing. Vincke acknowledged they have to swallow their pride sometimes and admit when the community is right and they’re wrong. It causes extra development effort, but the end result is a better game, which is ultimately the goal. That willingness to listen and adapt based on player feedback is exactly what turned Baldur’s Gate 3 from a promising RPG into a genuine phenomenon.
The Track Record Speaks for Itself
Larian’s early access history proves the approach works. Divinity: Original Sin launched into early access and benefited enormously from community feedback before its full release. Divinity: Original Sin 2 followed the same path and became one of the best-reviewed RPGs of its generation. Then Baldur’s Gate 3 spent nearly three years in early access starting in August 2020, with Larian continuously adding content and refining systems based on player input before the full launch in August 2023.
The BG3 example is particularly instructive. If you compare Baldur’s Gate 3 before and after early access, the changes and adjustments are significant. The feedback shaped everything from combat balance to narrative choices to UI improvements. The game sold over 20 million copies and swept major awards, validating Larian’s commitment to the early access process despite the extra work required.
Not Quite a Commitment Yet
While Vincke says Larian will most likely pursue early access for Divinity, he’s not making any guarantees. The reason is simple – they can’t predict how the gaming industry will evolve. Larian isn’t ready to launch anything in early access yet, and they prefer not to make promises about timelines. This cautious approach makes sense given how much game development can change, especially for a project described as their biggest and most ambitious game ever.
The studio aims to complete Divinity in three to four years rather than the six it took for Baldur’s Gate 3. They’ve expanded their development resources across multiple studios, allowing them to make more of the game in parallel. However, even with these improvements, Divinity is unlikely to arrive in 2026. When accounting for early access, players might get their first hands-on experience earlier than the full release, but patience will still be required.
What Early Access Means for Players
If Divinity follows the same pattern as Baldur’s Gate 3, expect the early access version to offer Act 1 or a substantial opening chunk of the game. This lets players experience the core systems, provide feedback on balance and mechanics, and help identify bugs before the full release. The downside is that some players might burn out on early content before experiencing the complete narrative.
However, Larian’s early access isn’t just about bug testing. It’s genuine collaborative development where player feedback influences design decisions. The studio has shown they’re willing to make significant changes based on what the community says, even if it means extra work. For players who want to influence the final product and don’t mind experiencing an incomplete story, early access offers unprecedented access to the development process.
The Divinity Advantage
One reason Larian can confidently pursue early access is that Divinity is their own intellectual property. Unlike Baldur’s Gate 3, which required coordination with Wizards of the Coast for Dungeons and Dragons rules and lore, Divinity gives them complete creative control. They can make changes, iterate on systems, and respond to feedback without external approvals slowing down the process.
The game is also designed as a standalone title that doesn’t require knowledge of previous Divinity games. While returning characters will appear and longtime fans will recognize connections, newcomers can jump in fresh. This accessibility combined with the polish Larian demonstrated with BG3 positions Divinity to potentially reach an even broader audience than previous entries in the series.
Community as Co-Developers
What makes Larian’s approach special is treating the community as genuine partners in development rather than just beta testers. Vincke repeatedly emphasized that players were a large part of how they developed their games. The community’s investment creates pressure, but that pressure pushes the studio to deliver something better than they could create in isolation.
This collaborative model stands in stark contrast to how many AAA studios operate. Where others might view early access as a way to offload QA costs or fund development, Larian uses it as a genuine feedback loop. They listen when players identify problems, adjust systems that aren’t working, and incorporate suggestions that improve the game. It’s game development as conversation rather than proclamation.
FAQs
Will Divinity definitely have early access?
Most likely, but not guaranteed. Swen Vincke says Larian plans to do early access but won’t fully commit yet because they can’t predict how the gaming industry will change. The studio has successfully used early access for their last three RPGs, so it’s the expected approach.
When will Divinity early access launch?
No date has been announced. Vincke stated that Divinity is unlikely to arrive in 2026, meaning early access probably won’t begin until 2027 at the earliest. Larian is aiming for a total development time of three to four years.
How long was Baldur’s Gate 3 in early access?
Baldur’s Gate 3 spent nearly three years in early access. It launched in early access in August 2020 and received its full 1.0 release in August 2023, with continuous updates and content additions throughout that period.
What will be included in Divinity early access?
Larian hasn’t specified yet. Based on Baldur’s Gate 3, early access will likely include the opening act or substantial first portion of the game, allowing players to experience core systems and provide feedback while keeping later story content unrevealed.
Why does Larian use early access?
Larian uses early access for community participation and feedback. According to Swen Vincke, players were a large part of how they developed Divinity: Original Sin 1 and 2, and Baldur’s Gate 3. The games improved massively through the process despite the extra development effort required.
Is Divinity bigger than Baldur’s Gate 3?
Yes, Larian has described Divinity as their biggest and most ambitious game ever, even larger than Baldur’s Gate 3. However, they’re aiming to complete it in less time by expanding development resources across multiple studios.
Will Divinity be turn-based like BG3?
Yes, Larian has confirmed that Divinity will be a turn-based RPG with multiplayer features, prioritizing player choice similar to their previous games. It stays true to the formula that fans love from Divinity: Original Sin and Baldur’s Gate 3.
Do I need to play previous Divinity games first?
No, Divinity is designed as a standalone title. While returning characters will appear and longtime fans will recognize connections, newcomers can jump in without prior knowledge of Divinity: Original Sin 1 or 2.
Conclusion
Larian’s commitment to early access for Divinity shows a studio confident in their collaborative approach to game development. After proving the model works with three consecutive successful RPGs, they’re sticking with what delivers results even though it requires extra effort. For players, this means getting hands-on with Divinity earlier than a traditional release schedule would allow, with the added benefit of actually influencing the final product. While we’ll need patience before early access begins, the fact that Larian is planning it at all is good news. It means they value community feedback enough to endure the painful process of accepting criticism and making changes. That humility combined with their proven track record suggests Divinity has every chance of matching or exceeding Baldur’s Gate 3’s success when it eventually arrives.