Following Larian Studios' decision not to pursue Baldur's Gate 4, James Ohlen, the original lead designer for Baldur's Gate and co-lead for Baldur's Gate 2, also turned down an offer from Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast to develop the next installment in the series. Ohlen, who was approached shortly after Larian's refusal, stated that he believed he would "fail" if he attempted to follow up on the acclaimed Baldur's Gate 3.
Ohlen's studio, Archetype Entertainment, is reportedly owned by Baldur's Gate's IP holders. He explained his decision to PC Gamer, "I wouldn’t want to compete against that. Doing [Archetype’s sci-fi action RPG] Exodus is hard enough, but having to compete against Baldur’s Gate 3? That would be insanity." Ohlen has since parted ways with Archetype Entertainment and the game development industry due to burnout.
In related news, Kevin Martens, the other lead designer for Baldur's Gate 2, is involved with an upcoming remake of the 2000 title. The developer for Baldur's Gate 4 remains unannounced, with the challenge of surpassing Larian's critical and commercial success looming large for whoever takes on the project.