Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, a remake of the classic PC RPG, has been abruptly pulled from the Apple App Store and Beamdog. It looks like someone got jumped by a pack of lawyers.
"We've taken this step at our publishing partner's request as we attempt to resolve a number of contractual issues," Beamdog and Overhaul Games president Trent Oster explained on BG:EE's website.
BG is set within the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons. I would imagine that the D&D license is the cause of the dispute. In order to make a D&D game, the publisher (in this case Atari) needs approval from D&D owners Hasbro. They must've had that license when BG:EE first launched but something has apparently gone awry. Oster declined to mention specifics on the matter, though.
"We are unable to discuss details of the complex legal matters surrounding this issue at this time. Please be aware that we are extremely unhappy with the situation and are doing our best to work past it. We have put a lot of hard work into this series, and are eager for fans to see it."
Players who purchased BG:EE through Beamdog and the Apple App Store before this snafu are able to download and play the game. However, the situation prevents Overhaul from releasing the game's latest patch. The patch is said to include a new render, revised UI, and over 135 gameplay fixes and improvements. The Android version of BG:EE is likewise on hold.
The most troubling part of this legal ordeal, though, is that Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition can't be released. The game's officially on hold until everything gets straightened out. It's not clear how close the BG2 remake is to release, but Overhaul previously indicated it would be out this year.
In Baldur's Gate, players take on the role of a young adventurer being hunted by mercenaries and a dark knight. They're forced to flee their childhood home and travel across the Sword Coast in search of answers. Their quest will eventually take them to the eponymous city of Baldur's Gate, where they'll unearth a massive conspiracy. Here's the opening cinematic:
The Enhanced Edition updates the base game and its Tales of the Sword Coast expansion with higher resolutions. It also introduces three recruitable companions. A new area called the Black Pits will allow player to test their combat skills.
If you want to play BG: EE, you can still pick it up through Steam for now. It's possible that it will get pulled soon, though. GOG, meanwhile, offers the original version of BG and its sequel. If you own Neverwinter 2, you can download a full 3D remake of Baldur's Gate.
