It’s Official – Expansion Pack to BG2!

The largest and most polished single player RPG to come out in years (as if I need to say which… even if it weren’t mentioned in the header) is getting an expansion! Its name is BG2: Throne of Bhaal and here’s the press release from Interplay as seen on PRNewswire:

IRVINE, Calif., March 1

— Black Isle Studios, the role-playing game division of Interplay Entertainment Corp. (Nasdaq: IPLY), and BioWare Corp. announced today plans to develop an expansion product to the award-winning role-playing game Baldur’s Gate(TM) II: Shadows of Amn(TM). Entitled Baldur’s Gate(TM) II: Throne of Bhaal(TM), the add-on product expands and enriches the gameplay experience by adding several new locations, high-level spells and powerful new characters to the Baldur’s Gate game. Set in the Forgotten Realms(R) campaign world of the Dungeons & Dragons game, Throne of Bhaal is the ultimate conclusion of the Baldur’s Gate legend as gamers fulfill their destiny as the child of Bhaal.

Developed by BioWare and published by Black Isle Studios, the Baldur’s Gate franchise — consisting of Baldur’s Gate, its Tales of the Sword Coast (TM) expansion and Baldur’s Gate II — redefined the role-playing genre and has since dominated the PC game charts with sales of over 3.5 million units worldwide. The franchise continues to receive accolades from press and pundits around the world. Top PC gaming magazines Computer Gaming World and PC Gamer have awarded RPG of the Year nods for Baldur’s Gate in 1998 and Baldur’s Gate II in 2000, as have the popular gaming-oriented online sites GameSpot and IGN (Black Isle Studios has been presented the RPG of the Year award from Computer Gaming World and PC Gamer for the last three years running). Additionally, Computer Games, Computer Games Online, Imagine Games Network and Vault Network named Baldur’s Gate Game of the Year for 1998, while leading websites MSNBC.com and Gamespot have named Baldur’s Gate II Game of the Year for 2000, an honor rarely bestowed upon role-playing games.

Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal takes players through an all-new storyline rich with intrigue and treachery as they unravel the mysteries of the Dungeon of Watcher’s Keep and explore other new areas such as the City of Saradush, the Fortified Monastery of Amkethran, Sendai’s Underdark Fortress and the player’s own Abyssal Stronghold. Throughout their journey, characters may reach up to level 40, made possible with a raised experience cap of 8 million points, quite possibly the highest level ever achieved by characters in any Advanced Dungeons & Dragons computer game. Also included in the quest are over 40 new powerful high-level spells and abilities. The Wild Mage Character Kit will also be included to the already extensive class list allowing gamers to create a powerful new character able to cast spells with very unpredictable results.

Baldur’s Gate II players will be pleased to hear that Throne of Bhaal is fully playable either while questing through their BG II adventure or after they have completed BG II.

Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal is due to ship summer 2001 for Windows(R) 95/98 and gamers will need to own the original Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn in order to play.

Thanks Flagg for the headsup. Level 40. Inconceivable! And it’s funny… in Diablo II’s expansion, you have to BEAT Baal. In BG2’s expansion you get to BE Bhaal. Very fishy!