Advanced game engines allow creators to push their imaginations to their limits. As a result, games like Baldur’s Gate 3 turn into a reality. Not only does BG3 look and play great, but it also runs on an engine that gives complete creative freedom to its developers.
I can recall a few times in the past when I could feel developers feeling limited by the game engine they were using. Dota 2 and CS:GO are the two first two games that come to mind, and both moved on to Source 2, Valve’s successor engine.
When I first saw BG3, I immediately wondered about its engine, as I could tell the devs put their hearts and souls into the adventure.
Which engine was BG3 built in?
BG3 was built with the Divinity 4.0 Engine. This engine was built by Larian Studios and it’s the successor to the engine that was used to make Divinity: Original Sin 2.
Building BG3 on its homebrew engine allowed Larian to implement even the wildest ideas to the game as they weren’t limited by a third-party engine. There were also drawbacks to using an in-house engine, like not having DirectX 12 support.
With the lack of DirectX 12 support, players might be questioning if they should play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Vulkan or DirectX 11. While DirectX 11 has been a better fit for players looking to squeeze out more frames from BG3, Vulkan has been preferred by players with higher-end PCs as it has been able to provide a higher-quality visual experience.
What are the advantages of Divinity 4.0 Engine in BG3?
Above all, developing both the game and its engine allows developers to have complete control over the process, setting the bar higher for their creative freedom.
The advantages to the engine include:
- Dynamic music
- Highly detailed graphics and character models
- Optimization advantages
- Supports complex storylines
- Accessible and user-friendly interface
