At The Game Awards last year, one of the surprise announcements came from Wizards of the Coast and developer Tuque Games - the return of the classic console Baldur's Gate series Dark Alliance. Simply called Dark Alliance the game is set to bring back the focus on fast-paced action-RPG combat set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe.

Albeit this time with a focus on some of the property's most iconic characters, and a shift away from the traditional isometric viewpoint of the original games. We sat down with Jeff Hattem, Studio Head of Tuque Games, the Wizards of the Coast studio behind Dark Alliance and talk about Dungeons & Dragons coming back to consoles.

What was the inception of Dark Alliance, and how did the project begin? What were some of those key elements that made it feel like – “Yes, this needs to become a game”?

It’s been quite the journey! A lot of us at Tuque grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons and reading the Forgotten Realms novels from R.A. Salvatore. We initially thought about making a Dark Alliance game back when the studio first formed in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2017 when we created the prototype and pitched it to Wizards of the Coast. After we pitched the prototype, it became clear they were on board with the idea and that we all had the same goal of creating an epic co-op action RPG set in the Forgotten Realms with Drizzt and his companions.

Dark Alliance brings well-known characters from the D&D universe and is set in the iconic location of Icewind Dale – how did the team decide or land on these characters and this location?

Drizzt is one of the most iconic characters in D&D lore, and there’s a ton of rich history to pull from. Drizzt’s companions, each with their own unique combat skills, are crucial for taking down enemies. Icewind Dale is a very harsh and unforgiving place. We wanted to recapture that feeling of accomplishment that you get when working with your friends when you take down an enemy together. For all of those reasons, Icewind Dale was the perfect setting and Drizzt and his companions made for the perfect cast of characters for a four-person action co-op game.

Click Here to Read Our Full Dark Alliance Interview with Tuque Games