Dungeons & Dragons was Interplay's most popular series. The D&D Video games released by Interplay are often considered the most popular D&D Video Game's out there.
History[]
A Not-So-Good Start[]
Interplay started their use of the D&D License with the release of Blood & Magic, the first DnD Real-Time Strategy game. A year later they released Descent to Undermountain, a RPG that recieved negative response.
The Golden Boys[]
Then BioWare made Baldur's Gate for Interplay and everything changed. BioWare released one expansion for the game and the history of cRPG's was forever changed, Interplay's most popular video game had happened. Due to Baldur's Gate's success, Interplay just happened to release a sequel, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. After its sequel got critical reception, BioWare obviously released an expansion Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.
Atari[]
Black Isle Studios then released its most popular game ever, Planescape: Torment, the game was widely recieved and is often credited as better than both Black Isle's Fallout games. Was Black Isle done with Dungeons & Dragons PC Games? No! They released Icewind Dale after that, which also managed to get an expansion (see a pattern somewhere?), then the expansion got an expansion (okay thats new). Through Icewind Dale and its expansions expansions critical acclaim, Interplay just had to have them release Icewind Dale II, the final game developed with the Infinity Engine.
Then Infogrames bought Hasbro Interactive and not only got Atari Interactive but also got the D&D Lisence, because they bitched in and barely released any games with it. Interplay did keep some D&D Rights though, this is the main reason why Icewind Dale II was Icewind Dale II and not Undermountain 2 or something.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance[]
Due to Infogrames, Interplay was only allowed to make D&D Games with Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate in the title. The result was Snowblind's Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance a critically acclaimed game, Interplay's best game on the consoles. While Dark Alliance was out, Black Isle Studios was working on Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound, a sequel to Baldur's Gate II in terms of gameplay. When Interplay lost the license to make Baldur's Gate games on the PC to Infogrames, Baldur's Gate III was canceled and work on Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II began. Not only was Dark Alliance II Black Isle Studio's las game with the D&D License, but also Black Isle's last game.