Yesterday, out of the blue, it was revealed that HBO will be making a Baldur’s Gate TV show, helmed by Craig Mazin of The Last of Us and Chernobyl. Considering how popular Baldur’s Gate 3 still is after over two years, you can expect that fans have a lot to say. While some were ecstatic over the announcement, others were a bit more skeptical. A few even questioned if Mazin was the right choice for it.
The announcement noted that the TV show will be set after the events of Baldur’s Gate 3, and will draw from the source material. In fact, it will also feature some characters from the game, along with new ones. There’s a lot to unfold here, but one thing on everyone’s mind is how something as vast as BG3 can be condensed into a TV show.
HBO’s Baldur’s Gate Won’t Be Easy To Adapt
Unlike The Last of Us, Mazin’s previous video game adaptation, Baldur’s Gate isn’t a linear story. Dialogues, story beats, and even the final outcome is all based on player choice. That, along with the worldbuilding and lore of the famed Forgotten Realms city. Understandably, fans have a few opinions on how it should be made.
“I gotta say, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to please game fans with this one.. I’ll definitely watch it, but planning for just a fun D&D show with dragons, magic and monsters and shit,” said one comment on Reddit. That’s probably what most think it will end up being. However, since there will be some returning characters, the show could trample on the toes of fans who have a connection with those characters. For instance, what if the show’s version of Shadowheart is still a disciple of Shar? That might not go down too well with fans who’ve established their ending as canon.
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Others think it should follow the same route as another popular video game adaptation. “I really hope it goes the Fallout route: use the setting, not the story. Trying to adapt BG3 in any way will fall flat. Just set it in the Forgotten Realms, maybe reference the events of the games. But no more.” This seems like a safe approach. Characters like Mr House appear in both versions, but the show tells its own story.
“If they do it right then it’ll be some kind of anthology series that just is centered around the Gate and the Sword Coast,” said another comment, and I think that might just be the best idea. When you’re dealing with something as expansive as Baldur’s Gate and The Forgotten Realms, fans would like to see every side of it, from the nobility and underbelly to the military and mages. Perhaps the best way to make this show is as an anthology.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Engine
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Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
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Full cross-platform play.
