Despite being leaked ahead of the event, one of the biggest surprises to come out of Google's pre-E3 Stadia Connect presentation was the reveal of Baldur's Gate III, a new installment in the beloved RPG series by Divinity: Original Sin II developer Larian. The studio has already confirmed the game is coming to PC as well as Google's streaming service, which launches this November. But while some might have assumed it would be a launch title for Stadia, we don't yet know Baldur's Gate 3's release date--and from the sound of it, there's a chance it won't be in 2019.

　　We recently had the opportunity to speak with Larian Studios founder and director Swen Vincke about the upcoming RPG. We asked Vincke what he felt his studio would be able to contribute to the Baldur's Gate franchise, and his response indicated that the game may not release this year:

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　　Now Playing: Baldur's Gate 3 Announcement Trailer / Easter Eggs Breakdown With Larian Founder

　　"We're ... in 2019 now--so it's not going to necessarily launch this year--but in 2019, the world has moved on tremendously. With Divinity: Original Sin, we've demonstrated that we can make what people call classic RPG values, that we can make modern. You will see a modern version of Baldur's Gate, but it's going to be true to the core of Dungeons & Dragons more than anything."

　　We asked Vincke more directly about when we could expect Baldur's Gate III to launch, but he vaguely replied "when it's ready." As he explained, "We're going to take all the time we need to make this one really, really good. I think people have been waiting for 20 years, so they can afford to wait a little bit longer."

　　While Vincke wouldn't commit to a release window, that doesn't necessarily mean players won't be able to play Baldur's Gate III this year. Both Divinity: Original Sin II and its predecessor initially released in early access before they formally launched, so there is a possibility that Larian will take a similar approach with Baldur's Gate III.

　　Larian did shed a bit more light on the game during a recent Community Update video. While largely a comedic skit, the video does touch more on ceremorphosis, the gruesome process by which a humanoid creature becomes a Mindflayer--as seen in Baldur Gate III's reveal trailer. Larian also reaffirms that Baldur's Gate III will be a "big grand adventure" that's "true to D&D lore" and has a choice-driven narrative.

　　We may not know when Baldur's Gate III will release, but we do know that Google Stadia will launch this November as part of the Founder's Edition, which will cost $130 / £120. The Founder's Edition will be the only way to play Stadia at launch, but Google will also offer a Stadia Pro subscription that gives players access to a library of games, as well as a free version called Stadia Base coming next year.