The success ofBaldur’s Gate 3is apparent not just by the game’s critical reception and numerous awards, but by its enormous fan community. Gamers across the globe have fallen in love withBaldur’s Gate 3’s many companions and NPCs, leading to appearances at conventions, Cameo accounts, and plenty of other ways to interact with the cast. However, as the game continues to receive patches, players of the game still wish they had moreBaldur’s Gate 3to explore.
Of course, players could explore Faerun in the video game franchise’s previous iterations. After all,Baldur’s Gate 3is, technically, the third installment of an iconic video game series. But as a game based on the legendary tabletop RPGDungeons & Dragons, it would make perfect sense forBaldur’s Gate 3to analyze how other fan communities and stories based on the tabletop RPG have translated into other forms of media. In fact, recent tie-ins from two establishedDungeons & Dragons-based showscould convince Hasbro to giveBaldur’s Gate 3its time in a new medium.
Other Dungeons & Dragons-Based Media Paves the Way for Baldur’s Gate 3
Critical RoleandDimension 20are both live-action role-playing series that have skyrocketed in popularity. WhileDimension 20has notably experimented with other tabletop games for its format, both series tend to fall back onDungeons & Dragonsas their main game of choice. For those not in the know,Critical Rolefeatures a cast of popular voice actors, including Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us,Teen Titans), Travis Willingham (Fullmetal Alchemist,One Piece), and features Matthew Mercer (Attack on Titan,One Piece),typically as Dungeon Master. Thesuccess ofCritical Roleled to an animated series on Amazon Prime calledThe Legend of Vox Machinabased on its main campaign and several official comics published by Dark Horse.
Rising from the ashes of comedy site CollegeHumor, Dropout created its own streaming platform. Former CollegeHumor writer and cast memberBrennan Lee Mulligan pitchedDimension 20to fill out programming, with its first show,Fantasy High, kicking off the show. Both Dropout andDimension 20have seen immense success, withFantasy Highremaining one of the web series’ most popular campaigns to date. An official TV show from an established studio outside of Dropout may not be in the cards forFantasy High, but an official WebToon based on the campaign will debut on March 31.Dimension 20has also collaborated with animators in the past onDimension 20: Animated, which highlights iconic moments from the web series’ various campaigns in a new format.
Clearly, there is a thirst forDungeons & Dragons-inspired content in other media. Sure,Baldur’s Gate 3is different from bothCritical RoleandDimension 20as it is a video game. But all three properties share the same source material, a love of fantasy, and devoted fan bases.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Needs a Comic or Animated Series
Therefore, it’s time forBaldur’s Gate 3to expand into the world of animationand art. It’s true that Larian Studios has collaborated with animators in the past. The developer’s YouTube channel features two animated shorts based on the hit RPG, but this certainly isn’t enough to quench the fandom’s thirst for moreBaldur’s Gate 3content.
An animated series could easily see the return of the game’s main cast, who have expressed interest in participating in such a production before. It would be an incredible way for the cast to work together again, with fans often citing the party’s dynamic asone of the best parts ofBaldur’s Gate 3. The cast has participated in several liveDungeons & Dragonssessions, which further proves that the cast’s dynamic fits into more than one medium. Of course, a series of comics is another avenue that Hasbro could venture down. Considering the vast success ofBaldur’s Gate 3, it would be unsurprising to see publishers and studios pounce at the opportunity to adapt the property, especially with web series likeCritical RoleandDimension 20proving that it’s possible.
