After the success ofBaldur’s Gate 3,Wizards of the Coastset a really high bar for itself. With Larian delivering one of the best RPGs to have ever been made, Wizards probably had to rethink its video game strategy. This is perhaps what led to last year’s cancellation of Project Dante, aDungeons & Dragonsthemed RPG by Hidden Path Entertainment, along with several other titles.
At the time, Hidden Path didn’t reveal anything, butstudio founder Michael Austin eventually took to LinkedInto announce that they had to let 44 developers go in light of the cancellation. The game was in development for roughly three years, but we never got to see any part of it. It now seems that concept art and in-development gameplay footage of Project Dante has emerged online.
Dante’s Developmental Tragedy
As spotted byMP1st, it seems the game was much farther into development than previously thought. Theearly gameplay footagelooks relatively more advanced than you’d expect, showcasing the player and two companions fighting off enemies and trying to solve a puzzle. There also appears to be voice acting for the companions, named Kavir and Ri Om.
While it’s obviously not the final footage of the cancelled game, it reminds me a lot of Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s art style, combat, and overall vibe. We also get a look at the game’s UI, which looks relatively simple, but it could also be a temporary version. This footage and gameplay is courtesy of a former Hidden Path employee’s portfolio.
Theconcept art shared on imgurreveals a lot more of what we could have seen in the cancelled game. It depicts a number of characters, different races, various creatures and some locations as well. Not much can be gleaned from this, but a lot of the artwork is in line with D&D elements and a party structure.
Wizards of the Coast recently announced thata new Dungeons & Dragons game is in the works, developed by a studio founded by the director of the Star Wars Jedi series. This was probably due to a change in direction after the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3.
