James Ohlen, lead designer of the original Baldur's Gate games, turned down making BG4, called it a doomed idea 💀 Hasbro's CEO pitched him the gig after Larian moved on. Ohlen said it'd be "at least five years of hell" and Archetype couldn't compete with Larian's RPG expertise. He even asked if they'd license Larian's engine, nope. He thinks the franchise needs a bold experimental team instead. Ohlen left Archetype in 2025 due to burnout; his former team is shipping Exodus in early 2027.















