While official support for newBaldur’s Gate 3content is ending far before the game’s popularity will, the same isn’t true forNeverwinter Nights, another iconicDungeons & Dragonsgame that’s over two decades old. The 2024 news thatBaldur’s Gate 3wouldn’t receive any DLCor a sequel from developer Larian Studios was surprising to many, but the choice enables the studio to put its effort into new passions. IfBaldur’s Gate 3does receive a follow-up, it’ll come from a different studio, andD&Dpublisher Wizards of the Coast is still committing to nothing more than examining options.
Neverwinter Nights, on the other hand, has been surprisingly activein recent years. LikeBaldur’s Gate 3,Neverwinter Nightsis no longer in the hands of its original developer. Modern publishing is instead handled by Beamdog, the studio behind the game’s remaster. Beamdog hasn’t been content to leaveNeverwinter Nights: Enhanced Editionas it was when it first launched in 2018, and the newest expansion for the game might be the most significant yet.
Neverwinter Nights Just Got Another DLC
Doom Of Icewind Dale Is A 2025 Neverwinter Nights Release
The newest DLC forNeverwinter Nights: Enhanced EditionisDoom of Icewind Dale, a significant expansion that promises 10-15+ hours of gameplay. Like other additions to the game that Beamdog has published,Doom of Icewind Dalebrands itself as a module, the same term used for the classic format ofD&Dadventures. In that framework, the release makes a lot of sense. Even without the original staff involved,Neverwinter Nightsexpansions can simply use the game as a basis forD&D-style video game adventures, a prospect that theoretically allows for nearly endless opportunities.
Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Review - New Servers, Same Old Systems
Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition has a very specific audience in mind, one which thoroughly enjoys D&D and early 2000’s polygonal graphics.
That being said,Doom of Icewind Daleis still a bit different from the averageEnhanced Editionexpansion. Rather than merely using the game’s systems for a generic adventure,Doom of Icewind Dalepicks up the story of the Hero of Neverwinter. The DLC’s list of features, available on the officialSteampage for the game, brands itself as an “official sequel to the Original campaign” that connects to previous expansions for both the original release ofNeverwinter Nightsand theEnhanced Edition.
Publisher Beamdog is also responsible for the remasters of several other majorD&Dgames, including the originalBaldur’s Gatetitles andPlanescape: Torment. The studio’s variousEnhanced Editionsserve as the standard across modern digital storefronts.
Doom of Icewind Dale’s ambitions seem lofty, but the DLC comes from a team with plenty of experience.Ossian Studios, the developer behind the DLC, has been makingNeverwinter Nightsmodules since 2006. The studio’s first title,Darkness over Daggerford, was released as a free mod after an official premium module program was shut down, while subsequent releases and an eventual re-release ofDarkness over Daggerfordhave been made available through official channels.
Doom Of Icewind Dale Is A Unique Expansion
You Don’t See A Direct Sequel To The Classic Campaign Every Day
The direct connection to the originalWailing Deathcampaign ofNeverwinter Nightsis a major selling point, at least for veterans of the game. There’s still a bit of a narrative reset involved at the start ofDoom of Icewind Dale’s story, with the Hero of Neverwinter starting the game “stripped of their recent memories.“Returning characters from the originalWailing Deathcampaign are available as some of the companion options, so there should be plenty of fan service for those who have fond memories of the classic experience.
The creative force behindDoom of Icewind Daleis Ossian Studios lead designer Luke Scull (AKA Alazander), who has a long history with Ossian Studios and module design.
Interestingly,the original campaign ofNeverwinter Nightshas never been the attention of most of the game’s acclaim, with much of the game’s legacy having to do with its multiplayer potential and the toolkit to build custom campaigns. The resulting long succession of third-party modules has led to plenty of strong releases, and there’s always a chance thatDoom of Icewind Dalecould manage to outdo theWailing Deathstory in some regards.
Forget Baldur’s Gate 3, There’s Another D&D Game That Needs A Sequel
Despite the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian won’t be making a sequel, but that doesn’t mean another D&D IP can’t get a sequel to fill the void.
At any rate,the earliest Steam reviews available for the expansion are trending positive, which can’t be said for the reception of everyNeverwinter Nightsexpansion. It’s no surprise that publishing fan-made additions to a game can yield some mixed results, but the grab bag feels justified whenever something truly special emerges from the process. ForD&Dfans,Doom of Icewind Dale’s promise of visiting several of Icewind Dale’s Ten Towns and other iconic locations in the area might be even more appealing than the connection toWailing Death.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Could Live On Unofficially
Official Or Not, There Should Be Many Modules To Come
Even thoughBaldur’s Gate 3will presumably never get official DLC from Larian,Neverwinter Nightsmodules likeDoom of Icewind Daleactually set the perfect example for how the newerD&Dtitle could still achieve similar longevity.Baldur’s Gate 3lacks the built-in support for custom modules thatNeverwinter Nightsoffered, butthe toolkit added in Patch 7 can be unlocked through modsto open up similar possibilities.Custom campaigns forBaldur’s Gate 3are already starting to appear, and thanks to the title’s enormous popularity, it’s easy to imagine that the momentum will continue to pick up.
How BG3’s New Toolkit Works & Everything Else You Need To Know About Mod Updates
The new Baldur’s Gate 3 Toolkit opens up a whole new world of possibilities, but the future of Baldur’s Gate 3 modding still has some limits.
Baldur’s Gate 3custom modules potentially following aNeverwinter Nights-style path to becoming official expansions seems like a dicier prospect. The fact that tools necessary for features like custom dialogue are locked in the vanilla version of the toolkit implies thatWizards of the Coast or another involved entity isn’t currently interested in officially supporting fan-made modules. Whether that’s because of potentially competing projects likeD&D’s 3D virtual tabletop Project Sigiland upcoming games or simply a desire to stay hands-off, it does send the signal that nothing will be made official any time soon.
As long as the content is out there, it can still be enjoyed by a large portion of the community, although fans ofBaldur’s Gate 3on console won’t have access to the major overhauls available on PC. In the long run, extensive mod support can become a defining part of a game’s legacy, withThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimbeing the defining example of a fantasy RPG that casts a long modding shadow. At any rate, ifBaldur’s Gate 3custom campaigns fail to ever appear through official channels, there’s no shortage ofNeverwinter Nightsmodules to turn to.
