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    Dragon Age: Origins

    Game » consists of 20 releases. Released Nov 03, 2009

    Dragon Age: Origins is an epic fantasy role-playing game featuring a rich story, personality-driven characters, and tactical, bloody combat. It is considered a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series.

    Why "spiritual sequel"?

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    ryanwho

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    #1  Edited By ryanwho

    Why didn't they just make a new Baldur's Gate? Id understand if they were doing something unique with the generic high fantasy formula but this is basically Baldur's Gate but without the preconceived history and lure to grab from.

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    Pibo47

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    #2  Edited By Pibo47

    Bioware nolonger has the rights to the baldurs gate series. Someone else is making BG2. So BW is making DA:O

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    lebkin

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    #3  Edited By lebkin

    Well, Pibo47 isn't exactly right.  I mean, someone else is not making Baldur's Gate 2; Bioware already made it.  But he is correct that Bioware does not have the rights to the Dungeon and Dragon franchises.  In actuality, Bioware never held those rights.  Interplay did when BG 1 and 2 were made (along with Black Isle games like Planescape and Icewind Dale).  Now Atari holds those rights. 

    Bioware is currently, with the exception of the Sonic RPG, focused on creating franchises from IP that they control.  Mass Effect and Dragon's Age are both examples of Bioware doing just that.  They want a level of control that they will never have working on other people's projects.

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    ryanwho

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    #4  Edited By ryanwho

    Oh okay. Still, if their concern is "owning" an IP, you'd think they'd aspire for more than their predecessor.  And maybe they do, but I haven't seen it yet. I'm so over orcs as defacto bad guy forces. Though I have a feeling the long haired guy will be(or can be, depending on choices) the main enemy. So maybe they'll throw a few gray hats in the mix but initial impressions were "this is exactly like Baldur's Gate, so why isnt it". I didn't know the IP issue. Atari should definetly NOT make a Baldur's Gate game.

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    Jayge_

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    #5  Edited By Jayge_

    They are doing things in Dragon Age: Origins that would drastically change the formulas set down in the Baldur's Gate series. They also don't want to go through the mess of licensing, and it's much easier to make a new story. Plus, a new franchise that does well will help cement BioWare's image as the supreme IP developers of the generation, with both Mass Effect and Dragon Age counted on as successes. Not counting anything else they'd develop alongside those, if they did at all.

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    lightwarrior179

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    #6  Edited By lightwarrior179

    One of the reasons why no new Baldur's Gate game is being made by BioWare is like one of the above users stated is that they don't have rights to it and now BioWare has become a lot more independant after Jade Empire depending upon their own original IP's.

    There were rumors that a BGIII might be in plans which will be most likely be made by Obsidian.

    Also even if a new BG game is made it won't be a direct sequel to BGII as BGII's plot arc ended in Throne of Bhaal.
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    karubah

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    #7  Edited By karubah

    Yeah I agree that they should have called it a "spiritual successor" to BG.

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