Following Baldur’s Gate 3’s juggernaut success, Larian Studios has revealed its next major project: Divinity. A return to the studio’s flagship series, the upcoming game was revealed with a grotesque trailer at this year’s Game Awards.

While some saw the game’s reveal trailer as the most metal thing they’ve ever seen, others took the trailer to simply be shock value. However, in the days since the game’s reveal, Larian publishing director Michael Douse explained that the trailer wasn’t designed to just “shock” players.

Speaking on Twitter, Douse explained that “the phrase ‘treating the audience with a level of intellectual respect’ came up a lot in planning” the new game’s reveal. While a lot of modern movies and games avoid mature elements, Divinity appears to be revelling in it.

“It isn’t about trying to shock them,” Douse continued. “It’s about trying to match their powers of comprehension so that it resonates. We know people are capable of appreciating a three dimensional world.”

While the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin appear lighter in tone than the studio’s recent reveal trailer, all of Larian’s prior games have had a mature depth that many titles don’t have. Sure, hanging out with Astarion is lovely: he’s charming and witty. However, as you dive further into his backstory and sink your teeth into his tale of abuse, it becomes a more mature tale.

It’s not known exactly what Larian’s new Divinity game will be. Will it be an action-RPG or a turn-based game? Who knows? (Larian does, actually, silly question.) However, the team has confirmed that the upcoming adventure will be the studio’s “biggest most ambitious RPG yet”.

Whatever the case, fans will be waiting for a long while. In an interview with IGN in 2024, Larian CEO Swen Vincke explained that the studio’s next title may not release until 2029, but told everyone not to hold the team “to a date” until one is actually confirmed.