The companions of Baldur's Gate 3 have become the new mascots of D&D. Should we be worried about their future now that it's entirely in the hands of Wizards of the Coast?

GamesRPGBaldur’s Gate 3The companions of Baldur’s Gate 3 have become the new mascots of D&D. Should we be worried about their future now that it’s entirely in the hands of Wizards of the Coast?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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Astarion as seen in his crossover appearance in Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms.(Image credit: Codename Entertainment, Wizards of the Coast)

Astarion as seen in the game Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms.

In the words of Eugene Evans, senior vice president of Digital Strategy and Licensing at WOTC, “they are now essentially part of D&D canon.” They’re rapidly being woven into the fabric of the game, and particularly its marketing. The question is: how do we feel about that?

Karlach and Astarion as they appear in Project Sigil.(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

Karlach and Astarion join a party of heroes in virtual tabletop Project Sigil.

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On the other hand, what this offers is a future for characters that would otherwise have simply faded away. There’s certainly joy already in seeing favourites like Karlach and Astarion live on and continue to be celebrated—and particularly in the opportunities it’s given the wonderful voice actors behind them to give us new performances. And if we end up with some low quality work involving them along the way, or some cynical exploitation of their status, that won’t retroactively take anything away from the 100+ hour, top quality RPG experience they’ve already starred in, which you can always go back to, right?

You can’t logic your way out of a feeling, though, and I certainly still feel a little trepidation seeing the gang become D&D’s equivalent of Sonic the Hedgehog or Mario. These are characters many of us went on a long and nuanced emotional journey with, forming some of the deepest virtual relationships currently available in games. I can’t help but worry whether they’ll be treated with as much respect as a renegade Githyanki, a faustian folk hero, a vampire spawn, a cleric of lies, a cursed wizard, and a soldier of Hell deserve.

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