The famous fantasy role-playing game Planescape: Torment from the developers of Black Isle Studios has not received a sequel in the quarter of a century since its release, although just a few years ago there was every chance for it.
Image source: Steam (Strategikal)
Former Dragon Age writer and Baldur’s Gate 2 designer David Gaider has revealed that he worked on the sequel to Planescape: Torment, for which he joined Beamdog after leaving BioWare.
Gaider was intrigued by the opportunity to contribute to a sequel to one of the most famous Infinity Engine games. Fallout 2 designer and Fallout: New Vegas writer Chris Avellone was listed as a consultant on the project.
Image source: Bluesky (David Gaider)
The game was called Planescape: Unraveled and had players take on the role of one of the three aspects of the witch Ravel Knot (she was the one who separated mortality from the Nameless in Planescape), who is trying to unravel the mystery of her existence.
Gaider was very proud of the idea, and the rights holders at Wizards of the Coast liked it. The company was even willing to delay the reboot of the Planescape setting to include characters and events from the game.
Image source: Steam (kamanas)
Money became an issue. Wizards of the Coast refused to finance the project, and third-party publishers were afraid to invest in Planescape: Unraveled because they considered Planescape not successful and commercially attractive enough.
By the end of 2016, Beamdog had to forget about Planescape: Unraveled. In early 2017, inXile Entertainment released a spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment, Torment: Tides of Numenera, but it was no consolation for fans.