(Image credit: Larian Studios)
Somewhere in the creative hive of Larian Studios, there’s probably a well-thumbed whiteboard brimming with a list titled “The Grossest Stuff We Can Think Of.” At least, that’s what I imagine, and it certainly feels like those wild ideas found their way into the reveal trailer for Divinity, the next hotly anticipated RPG from the minds behind Baldur’s Gate 3. Fellow RPG maestro Josh Sawyer shared his thoughts on Bluesky, noting, “The new Divinity trailer was great, but it’s wild what people will get upset about in games content-wise, while getting all giddy about Wicker Man x Event Horizon.”
The enthusiasm for Divinity’s announcement naturally follows the recent controversy surrounding Horses, an arthouse horror title that faced bans across Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Humble Bundle, only to be briefly reinstated. Some folks treated it like the ultimate threshold of degeneracy, while in reality, it was barely a bump in the road. But from this trailer alone, Divinity clearly takes things up a notch. “For adult audiences only,” it boldly states right off the bat.
Divinity’s reveal is a hilarious reminder that we’re getting a game from the team that once made it possible to have… um, intimate encounters with a bear. You know, just another Tuesday in the RPG landscape.
The reveal itself was something to behold—three intense minutes of a man engulfed in flames, lively public orgies, and yes, pigs munching on vomit, not once but twice! There was even a kid in the crowd, caught between the wild festivities and the unsettling sight of blood demons. Who hasn’t had that moment while gaming where you think, “Wow, that hits,” only to remind yourself, “Oh right, I probably shouldn’t laugh at the whole ‘Bring Your Child to Execution Day’ idea?” If you missed that in the wee hours during The Game Awards 2025, it definitely served as a much-needed jolt to the system.
“I was genuinely feeling like it was too much,” observed Joakim Sandberg, creator of Iconoclasts, reacting to Sawyer’s post. “It wasn’t from a puritan view, just the sheer indulgence and attempt at grotesque.” I can relate; I thought a second viewing was pushing the limits too. It’s undeniably indulgent, and reactions have mirrored the somewhat graphic nature of a trailer for The Last of Us Part 2, which also didn’t shy away from violence. But I say let developers be a bit provocative. It’s memorable, and discomfort in art can lead to deeper commentary. The takeaway here is crystal clear: the world of Divinity is not meant for the faint of heart.
Senior level designer Nicholas Cameron from Respawn Entertainment also pointed out that the first Baldur’s Gate 3 trailer had its own share of body horror, leading him to wonder whether today’s cultural climate has become more puritanical or if it’s merely the inclusion of sexual content in this new trailer that’s caused the stir. Watching that cinematic teaser from 2019, with its contorted flesh, public massacres, and yes, the ever-present vomit, paints a picture that is hardly new territory for games or for Larian. It’s funny how back then, some people labeled it as brutal… I can’t help but chuckle at fresh comments on that earlier teaser.
(Image credit: Santa Ragione)
In defending its game Horses against Valve, developer Santa Ragione had to heavily edit a scene that they suspected would be a deal-breaker for clearance. This scene originally depicted a young girl riding on the shoulders of a naked woman—reduced to the role of a “horse” in the game’s twisted narrative. In the final product, both characters in that moment are clearly adults. I can’t help but anticipate some level of equal outrage over Divinity’s portrayal of public orgies next to executions, especially with a little girl observing just a few feet away.
Of course, I’m joking; both titles have their own artistic merit, and it would be preposterous to label either as unacceptable or deserving of a ban. But as Sawyer noted, the extremes and timing of Divinity’s reveal bring to light the often inconsistent standards for what’s deemed grotesque, acceptable violence, and a moral compass that seems to malfunction when excitement reaches a fever pitch.
Divinity is set to be a “brand-new game” that doesn’t require players to have prior experience with Larian Studios’ earlier RPGs, though newcomers might find that having played Original Sin and its sequel will certainly give them an edge.