The creator of our current role-playing game of the year comments on BioWare's closure, saying the studio was fundamental to the genre.
Bodegård says BioWare's closure erases a foundational RPG studio, while MDK2 shows its pre-RPG past and links Baldur's Gate to modern classics.
Background: A niche BioWare catalog before the role-playing turn
Mentioning MDK2 is a flex of flexes for Bodegård because it points to a niche layer of BioWare's past. That layer is matched only by the 1996 mech simulation Shattered Steel, the medical imaging equipment the company worked on before pivoting to games, and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DS. These titles show a studio whose identity had not yet been fixed around role-playing games.
Development process: MDK, MDK2, and the Baldur's Gate overlap
MDK, or Murder Death Kill, was a weird and fast-paced third-person shooter from Shiny Entertainment. Digital Foundry has a video retrospective focused on that first game. BioWare, in a less expected turn, headed up MDK's similarly cult and well-liked sequel, MDK2.
MDK2's development would have been roughly contemporaneous with the original Baldur's Gate. In that timeline, the sequel feels like a final, vestigial holdover from the pre-Baldur's Gate BioWare era, before the studio settled into its role-playing-centered identity.
For readers, both MDK games are available on GOG and Steam. The price is still a practical barrier: $20 a pop after 26+ years, which makes waiting for a sale more attractive than paying full price.
Latest progress: Esoteric Ebb, Disco Elysium, and Planescape: Torment as downstream influences
Earlier this year, after the release of Esoteric Ebb, Bodegård's conversation focused mostly on Disco Elysium and Planescape: Torment as major influences. Those two games are downstream of BioWare: Planescape: Torment borrowed Baldur's Gate's foundational Infinity Engine, while many of Disco Elysium's developers cite Baldur's Gate as an inspiration. The special edition artbook by iam8bit shows the pride of place held by Baldur's Gate 1 and 2.
Current stage: MDK2 as a bridge in the timeline
At this point, MDK2 functions as a bridge between two eras of BioWare's history: the 1996 Shattered Steel period and the Baldur's Gate period that later shaped Planescape: Torment and Disco Elysium. The key markers remain 1996, 26+ years, and $20 on GOG and Steam. Those details locate MDK2 as a preserved artifact of an unfinished studio identity, still reachable but still expensive enough to require patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy or play the MDK games?
The article says both MDK games are available on GOG and Steam.
How much do the MDK games cost?
They are priced at $20 each, and the article suggests waiting for a sale because that price is still a practical barrier after 26+ years.
Does the article give an exact release date?
No. It only says the games have been available after 26+ years and that MDK2’s development was roughly contemporaneous with the original Baldur’s Gate.
What is MDK2’s connection to BioWare?
MDK2 was developed by BioWare as the sequel to Shiny Entertainment’s MDK, and the article describes it as a bridge between BioWare’s pre-Baldur’s Gate era and its later role-playing-centered identity.
Does the article mention Chinese or other localization?
No, the article does not mention Chinese or other localization options.
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