Baldur’s Gate 3 is a carefully designed RPG that replicates the DnD experience into something that proudly holds high standards in the video game industry at the moment. Developers at Larian Studios have managed to hone the art of giving players the ultimate freedom to choose and play as a character closest to their hearts.
However, at some point, a simple yet important part of this experience was altered by the devs. That too in the context of one of the most loved characters in the game, Astarion. Originally, the charming character was of a different species, but the creators chose a different path for him instead.
Astarion Was Originally a Tiefling, Not an Elf!
Portrayed brilliantly by actor Neil Newbon, Astarion is a sharp-tongued elf who is an important part of Baldur’s Gate 3’s narrative. However, fans would be surprised to know that he wasn’t an elf to begin with. Originally, the character was supposed to be a tiefling.
During an interview, Larian’s head, Swen Vincke, explained how little he remembered about this change being made in the first place:
Well, the thing is that I don’t actually remember! [laughs] Because I was surprised myself – I’d forgotten about it. I do remember there was a matrix where we said, “Okay, well, let’s represent every single species, so that there’s diversity across the different origins.”
Swen further added how many characters were changed during the game’s development, and eventually, Baldur’s Gate 3 became a foundation for multiple species being represented through different stories.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Was Focused More on the Player’s Experience Than Just the Characters
Larian’s approach to building the game has been more about the experience itself the moment it arrives than a planned, greedy philosophy that would ‘improve‘ over time. From the start, the developers kept on building something they themselves would enjoy.
Swen shed light on this very topic by revealing something important:
None of us want to be economy designers. We don’t want our games to be milked out or concepts to be milked out. We just want to make new things, and entertain people. And so I think that’s something that’s shared across [the industry]. Regardless of which development platform you are, I think that’s something that’s shared, because ultimately, you just want to entertain players.
Even with all the changes, twists, and turns that the characters have seen in the present version of the game, the player’s entertainment has been kept as a priority. Needless to say, Baldur’s Gate 3 beautifully executes this philosophy by being a unique experience overall.
Who are some of your favorite characters from Baldur’s Gate 3? Would you have enjoyed things the same if there had been a change of species? Let us know in the comments below.
