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The original Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance gets a re-release on modern consoles this week

Aside from the new Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance coming up in June 2021, players can re-explore the original 2001 game starting this week.

TJ Denzer

May 6, 2021 12:01 PM

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Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is set to give co-op players a delightfully over-the-top fantasy-fiction melee to participate in this coming June, but if it has you longing for the flavors and aesthetic of the original games from Interplay and Black Isle Studios, then Wizards of the Coast isn’t leaving you out in the cold. The original Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance from 2001 is getting a re-release on current consoles this week.

The re-release of Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance was announced via an IGN trailer on May 6, 2021. On May 7, 2021, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance will become available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. The re-release will feature support for higher resolutions, but for the most part, this seems like it will be a 1-to-1 re-launch that preserves the original presentation. The original game launched on PS2 and Xbox systems and featured a co-op hack ‘n slash style that quickly caught on with fans. It was popular enough that it got a sequel and its engine was even used to create the Everquest hack ‘n slash spinoff, Champions of Norrath.

It should be noted that this is separate from the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance coming in June. That one, developed by Tuque Games in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast is looking quite a bit more over-the-top, yet fun in its rekindling of the series. It may not be for everyone, but fortunately, this re-release and availability of the original should be a solid option for those looking who are more interested in the original top-down hack ‘n slash game.

Even so, if you’re looking forward to Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance when it launches on June 22, you may find Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance to be a fun look back at where the series came from and a nice teaser for the foundation of what lies ahead. If so, definitely check it out on Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch when it launches on May 7 and stay tuned for further details and updates on the upcoming Dark Alliance game.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.