Larian director has a "crash out on main" over HBO's Baldur's Gate 3 TV show, but CEO Swen Vincke is more optimistic — "the conversation we had ... gives me hope"

A huge bit of surprising news this week was Deadline's exclusive reveal of a Baldur's Gate 3 TV show adaptation that's officially in the works, with the production being created, written, and produced by Craig Mazin for HBO, and former Hasbro Head of Story Chris Perkins consulting. Though Mazin originally worked on many comedy films, he's best known for his drama HBO series', including 2019's Chernobyl and the ongoing adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us game.

The show will reportedly pick up right where the events of Baldur's Gate 3 left off, and will prominently feature both existing characters from Larian Studios' Xbox, PC, and PS5 Dungeons & Dragons RPG (presumably including its companions) as well as new faces. Its announcement came as a huge surprise on Thursday evening — and fans of the game weren't the only ones that didn't see it coming.

Larian's very own publishing director Michael "Cromwelp" Douse was blindsided by the reveal, and by the fact that the developer has no direct involvement with the show whatsoever. "Imma bout to crash out on main," he posted soon after the news dropped, before telling everyone who asked how the production came about that "I plead the fifth."

He then proceeded to repost a stream of reactions and memes criticizing the show being made without Larian's consultation before offering his full thoughts: "I've spent the last 8 to 10 years of my life with the writers & creators of Baldur's Gate 3 and they're the most incredible storytellers & creators in the space," Douse said. "Only hope is that they get both the credit deserved & the characters are represented at the same level as the game."

"I genuinely don't think anyone can trump our writers. Our stories are built by fierce [camaraderie] and resolve," he continued. "I have watched them write and write and write and through respect for audience & material come up with some of the finest shit i have ever played. I hope TV allows for the same [thoroughness]."

But the developer's CEO Swen Vincke had a very different reaction to the news — one that's far more positive and optimistic, and reveals that HBO and Mazin have reached out to Larian to set up some meetings.

"We worked incredibly hard on making Baldur's Gate 3 worthy of its legacy. Its characters and narratives are the result of many teams working together and I think I can speak for them all in saying that they'll think this is cool and hope that what comes next will enjoy the same level of passion," he wrote in a social media post.

"The endings of BG3 were created so they could serve as narrative soil for new adventures. There's plenty of directions they could go. I'm eager to find out which ones Craig and his team will pick," he added. "He's reached out for a chat so we'll have the opportunity to tell him our thoughts." Vincke also notes that "From the conversation we had, I think he [truly] is a big fan which gives me hope."

Deadline reports that Mazin is indeed a "big fan," having completed Baldur's Gate 3 on Honor Mode and invested close to 1,000 hours of playtime into the RPG. He's also been a Dungeon Master for weekly D&D sessions for 15 years.

"After putting nearly 1000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur’s Gate 3, it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of The Coast created," Mazin said. "I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can, and I’m deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property."

Ultimately, only time will tell if the show lives up to expectations and does the Game of the Year-winning Baldur's Gate 3 justice. Since Mazin still has to finish 2027's The Last of Us Season 3, though, we'll be waiting a while for it.

What's your take on HBO and Craig Mazin making a Baldur's Gate 3 TV show? Are you feeling optimistic, or are you worried it won't live up to expectations? Let me know in the comments.

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