Baldur’s Gate 3 devs thought making the RPG would be as “easy” as giving the D&D rules to programmers, but “before you know it, we’re deep down in community forums”

Larian Studios, the developers behind Baldur’s Gate 3, initially believed that creating the RPG would be straightforward—just a matter of handing Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) rules to programmers. However, as revealed during a panel at PAX West, the process turned out to be far more complex than anticipated, sending the team on what they described as a “really long journey.”

Nick Pechenin, the game’s director of design, shared insights into the challenges the team faced while adapting the intricate rules and lore of D&D into the video game format. “We thought the job of the designers was going to be easy because we have a design document that was just the printed books,” Pechenin explained. But it wasn’t as simple as they had hoped. “It felt like it was going to be as easy as giving the books to the programmers, like ‘let’s just get it out there, very quickly.’ Before you know it, we’re deep down in community forums reading through people arguing what exactly was meant by a certain passage—and how ‘crit fishing’ on a Paladin is totally legitimate.”

The journey turned into an extensive exploration of D&D’s community-driven rule adaptations, known as homebrew rules. Pechenin noted that these community forums played a crucial role in shaping the game’s development. “We were like, ‘Okay, so, we’re not crazy. Some people do it, so maybe we can try it as well.’ It was really great to see this design process in the wild, and then kind of be a part of it as well.”

The influence of these community-driven discussions and rules was significant, allowing Larian Studios to create a game that resonates deeply with D&D fans. Pechenin’s comments highlight the importance of community engagement in the development process, showing that the RPG’s success is rooted not just in the original D&D rules, but also in the passionate community that surrounds it.