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Baldur's Gate 3

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This article is about the 2023 video game. For the cancelled video game, see Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound.

Baldur's Gate 3
Developer(s)Larian Studios
Publisher(s)Larian Studios
Director(s)Swen Vincke
Producer(s)David Walgrave[1]
Artist(s)Joachim Vleminckx[2]
Writer(s)
  • Adam Smith
  • Chrystal Ding[3]
Composer(s)Borislav Slavov
SeriesBaldur's Gate
EngineDivinity Engine
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows
  • 3 August 2023
  • PlayStation 5
  • 6 September 2023
  • macOS
  • 22 September 2023
  • Xbox Series X/S
  • 7 December 2023
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) is a 2023 role-playing video game by Larian Studios. It is the third instalment in the Baldur's Gate series. The game's full release for Windows was in August, with PlayStation 5, macOS, and Xbox Series X/S versions releasing later the same year. In the game's narrative, the party seeks to cure themselves of a parasitic tadpole infecting their brain. It can be played alone or in a group.

Adapted from the fifth edition of tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate 3 shares its key mechanics and setting, the Forgotten Realms, with the tabletop game. Players create a highly customisable character and embark on quests with a party of voiced companions. Players can optionally play as a companion instead of creating their own. The gameplay comprises real-time exploration of large areas, turn-based combat, and narrative choices which impact the party and the wider world. Outcomes for combat, dialogue and world interaction are generally determined by rolling a 20-sided die.

Baldur's Gate (1998) and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) were developed by BioWare. A third game, subtitled The Black Hound and developed by Black Isle, was cancelled in 2003 following a licensing dispute. Dungeons and Dragons owner Wizards of the Coast (WotC) declined Larian's first pitch to make the game following the release of Divinity: Original Sin (2014). Impressed by pre-release material for Divinity: Original Sin II (2017), WotC welcomed a new pitch and eventually greenlit Larian's development. The company grew substantially during the six-year production. In August 2020, Larian released the game's first act in early access, providing them with player feedback and revenue. Larian added free new content to the game after release, ending with the final patch in April 2024.

Baldur's Gate 3 generated significant profit for both Larian Studios and WotC's parent company Hasbro. It received critical acclaim. Praise was directed at its cinematic visuals, writing, production quality, and performances. It was regarded as the best of the year by several publications and became the first to win Game of the Year at all five major video game awards ceremonies. It is considered one of the greatest video games.

Gameplay

[edit]
Screenshot of Baldur's Gate 3's first combat encounter.
A screenshot of a combat scenario, showing the top-down isometric view

Baldur's Gate 3 is role-playing game.[4] The game can be played in single-player or multiplayer.[a] The game has a free-floating camera, but players can adjust the perspective from top-down isometric to third person.[7] Based on the fifth edition rules of the tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons (DnD 5e),[4] several mechanics are identical between the two.[8][b] A major shared feature is that outcomes are decided by rolling a twenty-sided die (d20).[10][c] The game includes modding support; they can be installed through an in-game browser but disable achievements.[12]

Players first choose whether to create their own character or select to play as a pre-defined companion characters. As part of character building, players select a character class,[d] species,[e] and character backstory.[f][17] If the selected class uses magic, players will also select spells they will have at the start of the game.[14] Characters level up by collecting experience points in a variety of ways; some examples include exploring the world, engaging in combat, and solving puzzles. Levelling up strengthens characters by granting stat points or providing access to class-specific abilities.[18] Stats in Baldur's Gate 3 are called attributes,[g] and range from the weakest value (1) to superhuman (20).[19] After levelling up, players can place a level into a different class, known as multiclassing.[h] The maximum player level of Baldur's Gate 3 is level 12, compared to 20 in the tabletop game.[20][9] Levelling up allows players to choose a feat, diversifying or specialising the playstyle further.[21]

Quests and exploration

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The game is divided into three narrative arcs,[22] with a large, explorable location tied to each.[23] In non-combat scenarios, the game is primarily experienced in real time.[19] The game has 288 quests,[24] with significant creative freedom as to how they are completed,[22] and some unfolding across multiple arcs.[25] Companions have their own side quests, but the game can still be completed without companion presence.[26] Almost any character can die,[27] including those integral to the narrative,[22] and all speaking characters are fully voiced.[28] Using a spell or potion, players can speak with any animal,[29] and a more limited number of corpses.[30]

Players can set up a camp as a way to rest from the adventure and talk with companions.[31] There are 17 unique camp locations, contextually dependent on where in the game world the camp is set up.[32] A non-player character based at camp, Withers, allows players to respec.[33] Limited resources—for example, hit points and spell slots—are replenished by resting. There are two types of rest: long and short. A short rest restores the party's health to 50% of their maximum hit points alongside some class-specific features. Players can short rest twice before they must long rest to replenish them. Long rests teleport players back to camp and fully replenish resources.[33]

Players select items in the world, such as chests, to interact with them.[19] Picking locks, disarming traps, and exploring locations grant experience.[18] If a player attempts to pick a lock, a d20 is rolled and the result is compared against the value required to open the lock.[10]

Combat

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The game's combat systems are also modelled on DnD 5e. Combat begins with an initiative roll.[19] Entering combat enters turn-based mode.[19] This is a d20 roll that determines turn order. In a turn, characters have limited resources: they can perform an action (e.g., attacking with a sword), a bonus action (e.g., drinking a potion[i]), and moving a set distance. When a character has used their resources, the player selects to end the character's turn. Combat ends when all enemies are defeated.[35]

When a character attacks with a weapon or sword, they roll a d20 (called an "attack roll"[35]). The result is compared against the target's armour class; if the roll value is lower than the armour class, the attack misses.[36] Players can see the percentage-change that an attack will hit before making it; this value is impacted by things like terrain.[35] Some attacks have damage types. These can amplify one another (e.g., applying grease and fire to a target can make them burn for multiple turns) or counteract the other's effect (e.g., firing a fire arrow at an enemy standing in ice).[37] Environmental elements like explosive barrels can be exploited,[35] and weapons can be dipped in poison.[37]

Narrative

[edit]

Setting

[edit]

Baldur's Gate 3 shares its Dungeons and Dragons setting, called the Forgotten Realms, with previous games in the franchise. BG3 and its predecessors take place on the continent of Faerûn, primarily near or inside the namesake city of Baldur's Gate. BG3 takes place is set over 100 years after the events of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) and shortly after the events of the DnD tie-in adventure, Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus (2019).[38] The game features monsters from the Forgotten Realms setting, including owlbears,[39] gnolls,[40] and mind flayers.[22]

The game's first act is a kind of tutorial,[41] primarily set around a mind flayer ship wreckage.[42] Players have access to several locations, including the druids grove, goblin camp, and the mountain pass.[23] Writer Ali Jones characterises the first act as "fairytale backdrop", and IGN's Leana Hafer said it was "mostly idyllic wilderness".[43] Eight of the game's ten companions are introduced in act one, with six recruitable near the start.[44] The Underdark is a large subterranean area accessible through multiple locations; each entrance leads to unique environments.[42] Act one ends when players traverse the mountain pass or Underdark to reach act two's setting.[45] In act two, players traverse the Shadow Cursed lands to reach Moonrise Towers,[23] an oppressive and dark environment.[43][46][47] Only one companion is introduced in act two.[44] Locations explored include the Last Light Inn,[43] and the Gauntlet of Shar.[48] The third and final act is primarily set in the dense city environment of Baldur's Gate,[23] but with some areas accessible outside of the city, like a visiting circus and the shoreline.[49] The city is the location of the tenth and final recruitable companion.[44]

Characters

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Companions

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The world, alongside the player's thoughts and observations, are recounted by the game's narrator (Amelia Tyler), acting as BG3's dungeon master. While the narrator was originally planned to deliver lines contemptuously, Larian was impressed by Tyler's deadpan delivery.[50]

Of the game's ten companions, six can be chosen as the player character in the character creator. Known as origin characters, they have a pre-set character class, race, and appearance. Although their classes can be changed, origin character personalities and backstories are sometimes related to them.[51] Astarion is a hedonistic, high elf vampire spawn. At the start of the game, Astarion has recently escaped his vampire master, Cazador.[52] His default class is rogue.[51] Stephen Rooney was the lead writer for Astarion, and the character was voiced by English actor Neil Newbon.[53] At a Game Developers Conference panel, Vincke showed art depicting an earlier version of the character as a tiefling.[54]

Others include Lae'zel (Devora Wilde), a githyanki fighter; Shadowheart (Jennifer English), a half-elf cleric, who was pitched as a Jason Bourne-like character;[55] Gale (Tim Downie), a human wizard; Wyll (Theo Solomon), a human warlock; and Karlach (Samantha Béart), a tiefling barbarian.[56][57] Four other characters may join the player's party: Halsin (Dave Jones), a wood elf druid; Jaheira (Tracy Wiles), a half-elf druid and leader of the Harpers; Minsc (Matthew Mercer), a human ranger who carries a hamster named Boo with him; and Minthara (Emma Gregory), a drow paladin. Jaheira and Minsc previously appeared in both Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.[58]

Supporting

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The primary antagonists of the game are the Absolute (Cissy Jones), and her three chosen followers General Ketheric Thorm (J. K. Simmons), Lord Enver Gortash (Jason Isaacs), and Orin the Red (Maggie Robertson). Additional major characters include: Withers (Stephen Boxer), a mysterious undead entity who supports the player in camp; Raphael (Andrew Wincott), a devil with a penchant for making deals; Elminster (Crispin Redman), a renowned wizard and mentor to Gale; Auntie Ethel (Rena Valeh), a fussy trader of potions and sundries; Bhaal (Doug Cockle), the God of Murder; Mystra (Jane Perry), Goddess of Magic; Shar (Harriet Hare), Goddess of Darkness; Volo (Stephen Hogan), an unlucky writer; Mizora (Tamaryn Payne), a manipulative devil with a connection to Wyll; Isobel (Mia Foo), a half elf cleric working with Jaheira; Dame Aylin (Helen Keeley), Isobel's partner and an aasimar paladin; Ulder Ravengard (Chris Jarman), Wyll's father and Duke of Baldur's Gate; Kith'rak Voss (Richard Cotton), a githyanki knight; Dammon (Frazer Blaxland), a tiefling blacksmith, and The Emperor (Scott Joseph), a mind flayer with a key role in the main story. Sceleritas Fel (Brian Bowles), a fiend and manservant to the Dark Urge, only appears if the player has chosen to create a Dark Urge character. Viconia DeVir (Jess Nesling), a drow cleric and Mother Superior serving Shar who is integral to Shadowheart's storyline, previously appeared as a companion in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn where she was voiced by Grey DeLisle.[citation needed] Emperor was designed as a manipulative, independent mind flayer from the start.[55]

Plot

[edit]

The protagonist wakes up inside a giant dimension-crossing illithid (mind flayer) flying ship. They are infected with a parasitic tadpole that enthralls and transforms people into illithids; however, the transformation does not happen, and the ship comes under attack from githyanki warriors riding red dragons. The mind flayer crew teleports the ship to the Nine Hells and are attacked by an army of Devils. The protagonist is freed during the fighting and steers the damaged ship to Faerûn, where it crashes. They encounter other survivors of the wreck, all likewise implanted with tadpoles.

The party seeks to remove their parasites through numerous avenues, all of which fail to provide a cure. They are saved from the tadpoles' overwhelming psychic force by a "Dream Visitor" inside Shadowheart's mysterious prism, a device that is sought after by the githyanki. The protagonist then becomes involved in the fate of the Emerald Grove, where local druids and tiefling refugees face off against the goblin horde that worships a cult of the "Absolute". Once the party either sacks or saves the grove, they travel through the mountains or the Underdark to reach Moonrise Towers, a cultist stronghold, in search of a new cure.

The protagonist seeks sanctuary from the curse around Moonrise Towers in a tavern called the Last Light, held by a group of tiefling refugees, Flaming Fist conscripts, and Harpers. General Ketheric Thorm, the reigning lord of Moonrise and Chosen of Myrkul, is using a relic named the "Nightsong" as an engine for his immortality. The party scours the depths of Moonrise in pursuit of the Nightsong, revealed to be Dame Aylin, a daughter of Selûne. After either slaying or freeing the Nightsong, the protagonist confronts Ketheric, as well as his cohorts—Orin the Red (the Chosen of Bhaal) and Enver Gortash (the Chosen of Bane). Through their Netherstones and a mysterious crown, the triumvirate collectively controls the Absolute (revealed to be an Elder Brain, the ultimate form of the illithid race) and seeks to rule the Sword Coast by manipulating everyone infected with a tadpole. Orin and Gortash depart with the Elder Brain for Baldur's Gate, while the protagonist defeats Ketheric and claims his Netherstone.

The protagonist arrives at Baldur's Gate as Gortash and Orin attempt to pit them against the other, while the companions find closure for their personal quests. It is revealed that the "Dream Visitor" is, in fact, a visage taken by a renegade illithid called the Emperor, who resides within the prism and oversees the imprisonment of a powerful githyanki, Orpheus. Orpheus is the source of psionic resistance the party possesses against the Absolute, and the Emperor has been leveraging this in his favour. The protagonist eventually faces off against Gortash and Orin, assembling the Netherstones to subdue the Elder Brain. The Elder Brain, having anticipated the triumvirate and the protagonist's every move, overpowers the party before the Emperor comes to the rescue.

Realizing that the Netherstones require an illithid wielder with Orpheus' powers to be effective, the protagonist either frees Orpheus and allows him to transform, which causes the Emperor to resign to his fate and join the Absolute, or has either the Emperor, a transformed Karlach, or the player character consume Orpheus in order to see the mission through. After defeating the Elder Brain, the protagonist can choose to either kill it and every illithid tadpole with it, ending the threat forever, or betray their comrades and rule as the Absolute.

Development

[edit]

Background

[edit]
Group of people playing Dungeons & Dragons tabletop RPG.
The tabletop game, Dungeons and Dragons, showing its grid-based map

The Baldur's Gate series began development in 1995 when Wizards of the Coast's predecessor, TSR, Inc., asked publisher Interplay Entertainment to produce a video game using the Dungeons & Dragons (DnD) property. BioWare agreed to develop the title, having formed a partnership with Interplay for Shattered Steel (1996). Initially titled Iron Throne, the game was retitled Baldur's Gate (1998) at the suggestion of Interplay co-founder Brian Fargo.[59] Created by a largely inexperienced group of developers,[60] BioWare delivered the game a year behind Interplay's schedule and achieved commercial success, leading to an expansion in 1999.[59][j] A direct sequel followed, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000), using the second edition of DnD for its rule set,[62] and was also published by Interplay and Black Isle Studios.[61] The first two Baldur's Gate games provided pre-scripted, branching narratives. BioWare's third game with the DnD property, Neverwinter Nights (2002), used DnD's third edition,[62] and facilitated a gameplay experience closer to the tabletop game by emphasising multiplayer and allowing players to control non-player characters.[64] Following a licensing issue, another Dungeons and Dragons video game, The Black Hound, was designated as the third game in the Baldur's Gate series; it was cancelled when Interplay lost the rights to release Baldur's Gate titles on PC.[63]

Several companies sought the rights to make the title over the following decade. Interplay's Brian Fargo described interest by Obsidian Entertainment's CEO Feargus Urquhart, Larian Studios' CEO Swen Vincke, and Fargo himself.[65] Canadian developer Beamdog made enhanced editions of the first and second games, followed by Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear (2016), a large expansion using the Infinity Engine.[66] Cameron Tofer, co-founder of Beamdog, said making the third game was the studio's "long-term goal".[67]

Vincke first approached Wizards of the Coast (WotC) about making the game during Larian's development of Divinity: Original Sin (2014), but WotC declined, citing their inexperience.[k] Shortly before the release of the sequel, Divinity: Original Sin II (2017), WotC were intrigued by pre-release footage and asked Larian for a pitch for Baldur's Gate 3. Vincke created a design document around a month before the release of Origin Sin II in a hotel room with several designers and writers.[69] The pitch was scheduled for the release day of Origin Sin II, leading to a short turnaround time. WotC did not like the pitch, but granted Larian's request for more time.[70][71] WotC had a new chief executive officer at this time and Vincke met him on one of his first days. Larian had to meet several milestones, including an approved design document.[72] A later pitch was received positively and WotC granted Larian the licence.[71][69]

Studio growth and challenges

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Game director Swen Vincke at the 2024 Game Developer's Conference

Larian wanted to produce a game with triple-A production values, budget, and marketing; they viewed Baldur's Gate, alongside Fallout and Ultima, as an intellectual property capable of enabling that.[73] Larian built new cinematic functionality into their game engine, viewing these capabilities as key to accessibility. The studio's cinematic ambitions came with challenges,[4] requiring the studio grow considerably.[74] Close-up dialogue scenes required new teams responsible for cinematics quality assurance and lighting. The size of the art and audio teams increased because the game's requirements were different from those of Original Sin II. Clothing designs and textures, for example, had to work from close and far perspectives because of the cinematic camera.[75] The game's uses technology from the eighth generation of video game consoles, like screen-spaced reflections and shadow maps for lighting and shadow.[76]

The studio's size increased from around 140 employees in 2017 to over 450 in 2023, making it one of the world's largest privately owned video game companies.[74] Industry journalist Jason Schreier described Larian Studios as a "unicorn": large enough to make triple-A games but not subject to the mechanics mandated by publicly traded publishers, like microtransactions and battle passes, that "maximize revenue" and "minimize risk".[77]

In part due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Baldur's Gate 3 had an usually long 6-year development cycle.[74] Larian closed its Saint Petersburg office following the invasion. Anticipating military enlistment for staff, they liaised with embassies and consulates to support relocation efforts, with 90% of employees based in Saint Petersburg moving office. The game's complex code base meant the effects of closing the office were felt throughout development.[78]

Vincke described Baldur's Gate 3 as Larian's "Covid game",[79] with the pandemic reducing productivity, causing communication issues internally and with external partners, and preventing performance motion capture.[80] The studio lost staff over the 6-year development period,[79] including cinematics lead Jim Southworth, who died shortly after the game's release.[81] The game is dedicated to Southworth.[2]

Writing and motion capture

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Dungeons and Dragons creative director Mike Mearls said the team did not object to Larian making changes to DnD lore, hoping changes would tie into increased player agency.[82] Mearls said that collaborating with Larian felt like a natural extension of Wizards of the Coast's DnD team, with both companies anticipating required adjustments to fifth-edition rules.[83] Vincke suggested using mind flayers as antagonists after seeing an illustration in Volo's Guide to Monsters.[4] Writer Adam Smith said WotC had not documented the process of transforming into one, so Larian produced a 7-day timeline,[84] inspired by body horror and the films of David Cronenberg.[85] Baldur's Gate 3 is set over 100 years after the first two entries; Smith said WotC of the Coast had "filled out" the intervening century because the area was integral to the Forgotten Realms and Sword Coast settings.[86] Larian collaborated with WotC on a precursor module for the game,[86] Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus (2019). The module provided information on events occurring since Baldur's Gate II.[82]

Larian had two London-based studios working on motion capture. Vincke estimated this spanned 1.5 million words of dialogue in 2020;[4] in 2024, Vincke's said 1.3 million lines and over 140 hours of cutscenes.[87][l] In development, the multiplayer mode allowed players to role play with their partner, but the feature was removed because of the added complexity.[89] All 248 of the game's voice actors performed the motion capture for their characters.[90] The game has over 170 ending variations,[74][m] which required substantial testing,[92] and Larian's writers worked on ending dialogue and descriptions for over a year.[55] Larian encouraged the main cast to interact with fans, which Devora Wilde, who portrays Lae'zel, said was unusual in the industry.[71]

Smith described the team's approach as "reactive", saying that identifying frequent player choices informed their writing decisons.[86] Some characters were changed substantially throughout development. Larian reduced the hostility of companions to the player character, including Shadowheart and Lae'zel. Vincke said Lae'zel was among the companions changed least across development.[55] Karlach's infernal heart was a late addition to the game.[55] Region producer Elena Statsenko, Larian aimed to incorporate moral dilemmas and outcome variety for different player types into quests.[24] Other design considerations included integration with the main story and adjustments if the player controlled an origin character.[93]

Release

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Early access

[edit]

Larian Studios revealed Baldur's Gate 3 with a trailer at a conference for Google's cloud gaming platform, Stadia, in July 2019.[70] Vincke said letting potential customers play without installing the game had "great conversion power", but stated the title would not be exclusive to Stadia.[94] Following Google's discontinuation of Stadia in 2023, Vincke expressed regret, describing it as "a really stupid deal", but said the funds provided by deal had funded the game's visuals.[95]

Larian partially released an unfinished version of the game's first act into early access in October 2020. Over 2.5 million people played the game in early access,[74] with this revenue sustaining the studio during this period.[96] The game's scope increased throughout this period.[74] Some companions were not recruitable in the early access,[55] and it contained many bugs.[71] Other changes included new character classes and subclasses, user interface updates and game balancing.[97] Eurogamer's Ruth Cassidy said characterisation changes in the full release compared to early access—decreasing hostility to the player and increasing their vulnerability—felt like fan service.[98] Continuous rewriting of the script required voice actors to return to the studio.[71]

Full release

[edit]

Larian experienced issues while developing a version for Xbox Series X and Series S.[99] Performance variation between the two consoles in split-screen co-operative play because feature parity was a requirement of the Xbox platform.[100] Following an in-person meeting with Microsoft Games executive Phil Spencer at Gamescom, Vincke and Spencer arranged a compromise where the game could be brought to Xbox consoles without split-screen play on the Xbox Series S.[101]

In March 2023, Larian Studios staff were concerned that the game would be delayed to avoid competition from another title, Bethesda Softworks' Starfield, after the lengthy development cycle. Vincke accelerated the game's Windows release by four weeks,[74] and delayed the PlayStation 5 version by one week.[102] The game was released for Windows on 3 August 2023,[39] PlayStation 5 on 6 September 2023,[103] and macOS on 22 September 2023.[104] Following the PlayStation 5 version's launch, Larian revealed an animated short, "The Launch Party", co-produced with UK-based animation studio Mashed.[105] On 7 December 2023, directly following The Game Awards 2023, Larian released Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Series X and Series S.[106]

Post-release

[edit]

Following release, Larian Studios added new content to the game via patching. The September 2023 update, for example, allowed players to customise their appearance at any time.[107] In December 2023, the developer added two difficulty modes and an expanded epilogue featuring over 3,500 new lines of dialogue.[108] An eighth and final patch was released in April 2025. The patch introduced 12 new sub-classes, a photo mode, cross-platform play,[109] and co-operative split-screen for Xbox Series S.[110] Jasmine Gould-Wilson expressed regret that GamesRadar+ could not name BG3 as their 2024 game of the year because of the extensive changes.[111]

The game did not initially provide full credits for localisation personnel. Vincke attributed the error to Larian's localisation provider, Altagram, and promised a fix.[112] Altagram published an apology for the mistake.[113] Larian released a physical edition of the game. The included disc did not contain the full game, which still must be downloaded, but has the game's full soundtrack distributed across three discs. The edition also featured a cloth-printed map, stickers, and a chalk-paper mind flayer poster.[114]

Reception

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Critical

[edit]

According to review aggregator website Metacritic, Baldur's Gate 3 received "universal acclaim" from critics,[126] with 98% of critics recommending the game on aggregator OpenCritic.[118] Critics praised the game's detail and scope. Several critics compared the studio as a gracious dungeon master,[127] with the game faithfully emulating the tabletop Dungeons and Dragons rules and experience.[128] The Guardian's Nick Rueben praised Larian for anticipating options for creative problem solving by players.[17] Polygon's Gita Jackson writes that "there's always the feeling that the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 exists beyond and without you", but said it was limited by its tabletop predecessor.[123] Several reviews praised the game's production quality, citing the cinematics, performance capture, and fully voiced cast.[39][119][27] Push Square's Khayl Adam praised the scope and ambition.[124]

The game's writing was widely acclaimed.[39][119][22] The game's quests and side-quests received commentary: IGN's Leana Hafer said the side quests were "strong"; Van Aken praised quest outcome variety;[119] Dekker supported the game's decision to prioritise player freedom over satisfying quest resolution.[22] Eurogamer's Ruth Cassidy criticised the main narrative as having false urgency.[98] Windows Central's Jennifer Young said narrative decisions had weight because almost every character could die.[27] PCMag's reviewers criticised that some choices could inadvertently prevent players accessing some plot lines.[14] The Dark Urge character origin received dedicated coverage,[129][130] with GamesRadar+'s Jasmine Gould-Wilson describing it as the canonical version of the game.[131]

Several reviews praised the characters as elevating the narrative above standard fantasy tropes and archetypes.[119][22] Andrew Zucosky, the reviewer for Digital Trends, said the companions' stories were his main motivation for playing.[28] Ali Jones said companion's personalities contrasted well with their character classes—for example, Shadowheart as a healer "[serving] a goddess of darkness and loss" and Karlach as a traumatised barbarian "determined to draw on joy".[132] Jackson praised the companion's reactivity, highlighting the vampire spawn Astarion's embrace of his freedom.[123] Eurogamer's Ruth Cassidy criticised the initiation of romance arcs and the false urgency of the main narrative,[98] while PCMag's reviewers praised them for developing naturally and being "unabashedly sexual".[14] Hafer and Jones praised the romance overall,[39] with Jones describing the approach as more "mature" than "picking the right dialogue options".[132] A month after launch, Vincke explained that a bug was responsible for companions being "so horny".[133]

Some reviewers praised BG3's combat, citing the range of options,[134] reactivity,[135] and approaches enabling combat avoidance.[136] Eric Van Allen of Destructoid said combat "ranges from interesting to overwheling".[137] Cassidy praised the game for encouraging positional strategy and preparation.[98] Two critics suggested that the game's complexity would be divisive.[138][124] Some reviewers described combat as tedious.[123][27] Polygon's Maddy Myers criticised some elements as unintuitive, citing how weapons are dipped in poison by interacting with them as if they are a health potion instead of the "dip weapon" function.[37] Jackson said she saved before every combat encounter because random outcomes often had devastating, uncontrollable consequences.[123] Young said combat would be "daunting" to DnD newcomers.[27]

There were complaints about bugs and diminishing polish in later portions of the game. The oringinal review by Digital Foundry's Alex Battaglia said the PC version's technical polish was impressive.[76] Following suggestions by players to review the end of the game, Battaglia noted substantial performance drops in the third act caused by the city's density.[139] Rebekah Valentine said the game's size concealed issues with the final act, describing it as less polished than the preceding two;[140] several other reviewers highlighted bugs.[39][22] Writing for Digital Spy, Jess Lee said "cracks began to show" in act three, citing two companions reacting with relationship-ending anger to a decision and forgetting shortly thereafter.[141] According to IGN, bug complaints persisted months beyond release;[71][n] the game's first major patch fixed over 1000 bugs.[143] PC Gamer's Fraser Brown, meanwhile, expressed surprise at how few bugs surfaced on his playthrough given BG3's scope and complexity.[47]

Commercial

[edit]

Prior to the game's full release, Jason Schreier wrote that its success was likely, citing positive reception to the early access, strong pre-order sales, and high interest in the Dungeons and Dragons property.[74] The game sold 2.5 million copies during the early access period.[74]

It became one of 2023's largest launches after release.[144] In February 2024, Larian's publishing director Michael Douse said the game had over 10 million players;[o][146] Larian has not released precise sales figures.[81] The Irish Independent reported that Larian's 2023 pre-tax profit increased twentyfold from the previous year,[p] reaching €249 million, and citing 15 million copies sold.[148] Steam Spy estimated there were over 20 million owners of the game on the Steam platform.[81] Vincke described the game's performance as "way beyond" expectations; he had been concerned the game's entire audience had purchased it during early access.[149] In a Q4 2023 earnings call, Wizards of the Coast's parent company Hasbro said the game had earned the company $90 million.[150] Douse said the game's player count increased 20% over 2024, with IGN's Wesley Yin-Poole attributing this to modding support.[151]

Accolades

[edit]
Main article: List of awards received by Baldur's Gate 3
Larian Studios acceptance speech after receiving the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2023

Baldur's Gate 3 had record-breaking award success continuing over a year beyond its release. According to Vincke, Larian sent rotating groups of staff to award ceremonies because it started to impact the studio's development activities.[152] In April 2024, the game became the first to win Game of the Year, or the equivalent category, at all five major ceremonies: the Golden Joystick Awards, the Game Developers Choice Awards, the DICE Awards, the BAFTAs, and The Game Awards.[153] Several publications also selected Baldur's Gate 3 as the best title of the year, including Ars Technica, GameSpot, GamesRadar+, and PC Gamer.[154] It won the 2024 Hugo Award for Best Game or Interactive Work.[155]

At the Golden Joystick Awards, the game broke the previous record with seven wins, including Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, and Studio of the Year for Larian.[156] At The Game Awards, the game won in six of the nine nominated categories, including Best Role Playing Game, Best Community Support, and Best Multiplayer Game.[157] Baldur's Gate 3 was one of two titles to win multiple awards at the 2024 DICE Awards,[q] receiving Best Role-Playing Game alongside Outstanding Achievements in Story, Game Design, and Game Direction.[158] At the BAFTA Game Awards, the title won five awards; lead writer Sarah Baylus and composer Borislav Slavov accepted the awards for Best Narrative and Best Music, respectively.[159] At the 24th Game Developers Choice Awards in San Francisco, it received four awards, including Best Narrative and Best Design.[160] It led the The Steam Awards in 2023 with two wins, including Game of the Year and Outstanding Story-Rich Game.[161]

The game's performances received awards recognition. Neil Newbon (Astarion) won Best Supporting Performer at the Golden Joysticks and Best Performance at The Game Awards.[156][157] Newbon's performance was also nominated at the DICE Awards.[158] Newbon shared nominated with the game's narrator, Amelia Tyler, at several ceremonies, including the New York Game Awards and the Golden Joysticks.[162] At the BAFTAs, Newbon and Tyler were nominated for alongside Samantha Béart (Karlach) for Performer in a Leading Role. There were three nominations for the Performer in a Supporting Role: Tracy Wiles (Jaheira), Dave Jones (Halsin) and Andrew Wincott (Raphael),[163] with Wincott's performance winning.[159] Several awards were for BG3's LGBTQ representation. It won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game.[164] At the 2024 Gayming Awards, it received four nominations, including two for Best LGBTQ Character, winning with Shadowheart, and the Game of the Year.[165]

The game's score, and composer Borislav Slavov, received several nominations. In 2020 and 2021, he received Hollywood Music in Media Awards nominations for Original Song – Video Games ("Weeping Dawn" and "I Want to Live", respectively),[166][167] and for the full score in 2023.[168] Slavov was nominated for Best Score and Music at the Game Awards.[157] Slavov won in the Music category at the BAFTAs.[159]

Future

[edit]

Following release, Larian reiterated interest in updating the game via patches but would not commit to downloadable content (DLC).[169] While delivering a March 2024 talk at Game Developers Conference, Vincke announced the studio would not develop a sequel or downloadable content.[170] While Larian started to work on DLC because of fan demand, there was no passion for the idea internally.[171] Larian subsequently said it was working on two projects,[172] using their own intellectual property, with targeted pre-2030 release.[173]

As of 2025, there were two Dungeons and Dragons video games in production,[174] with one in production at French developer Gameloft,[175] and another by Swedish developer Starbreeze Studios.[176] Hasbro's digital games vice-president Dan Ayoub said in March 2025 that discussions were ongoing over the future of Baldur's Gate and hoped to announce plans in the near future.[177]

Notes and citations

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Multiplayer is available both online and split screen forms. There is a 4-player limit.[5] In multiplayer, players generally act independently, but the session's host makes dialogue selections for main story choices.[6] One player can be engaged in dialogue while another explores elsewhere, or they can spectate the dialogue and suggest response options. By default, romance scenes with non-player characters are hidden from other player characters.[5]
  2. ^ Larian were required to make some adjustments the DnD 5e rules owing to the change in medium. Vincke described Larian Studios as the "dungeon master" with "some house rules".[4] Some differences include changes to healing, spells, and changing some actions, like drinking a potion, into bonus actions.[9]
  3. ^ By default, the game activates a setting called "karmic dice". This manipulates rolls to ensure rolls are not subject to long streaks of bad or good luck.[11]
  4. ^ Class is one of the most important decisions in Baldur's Gate 3—it is the primary determinant of a character's play style.[13] There are twelve options for character class: Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard.[14] Each class has multiple subclasses, offering further play-style specialisation.[13] For example: the Wild Magic subclass for the Barbarian provides a typically melee-focused character with spellcasting abilities.[15]
  5. ^ There are ten available species: Dragonborn, Drow, Dwarf, Elf, Githyanki, Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Halfling, or Tiefling.[14]
  6. ^ There are 11 available backgrounds—Acolyte, Charlatan, Criminal, Entertainer, Folk Hero, Guild Artisan, Noble, Outlander, Sage, Soldier, or Urchin. These grant additional skills.[14][16]
  7. ^ Attributes govern a character's effectiveness with a range of tasks. They include strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, perception, charisma, and wisdom.[19]
  8. ^ Multi-classed characters level each class separately. For example: a level-2 sorcerer-rogue would be a level-1 sorcerer and a level-1 rogue.[20]
  9. ^ Drinking a potion during a bonus action was a custom rule by Larian that was later implemented into the tabletop game.[34]
  10. ^ BioWare's Infinity Engine was used by Black Isle Studios for their Dungeons and Dragons role-playing video games, Planescape: Torment (1999) and Icewind Dale (2000).[61][62] BioWare and Black Isle were frequently confused by fans in the 1990s.[63]
  11. ^ By the completion of the sequel, Divinity: Original Sin II, PC Gamer's Fraser Brown notes that the studio had "20 years of D&D-adjacent RPG" experience.[68]
  12. ^ These cutscene hours cannot be experienced in a single playthrough: "For every decision you make, and every short cinematic conversation you see linked to it, dozens more are recorded for the same moment that you won't see."[88]
  13. ^ In August 2024, Larian revealed that one variation had only been experienced by just over thirty players.[91]
  14. ^ After the game's final patch in April 2025, PC Gamer celebrated that Larian did not fix a "fan-favorite bug that turns character portraits into moody glamor shots".[142]
  15. ^ Douse was reacting to a leaked Microsoft memo justifying a $5 million cost to acquire Baldur's Gate 3 for their subscription service by describing the game as a "second-run Stadia RPG".[145]
  16. ^ Of 2022, PC Gamer's Ted Litchfield wrote: "The company reported €22.7 million ($24 million) in total revenue, with Larian actually operating at a €214,000 ($223,000) loss. It's a pretty stark reminder of how volatile the business of making games can be, with developers having to spend a great deal of money over a long period of time before (hopefully) making it all up and then some with a successful launch."[147]
  17. ^ The other title was Marvel's Spider-Man 2; with 6 wins, it was the most-awarded title of the 2024 ceremony.[158]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Frushtick 2020.
  2. ^ a b Baldur's Gate 3 2023.
  3. ^ BAFTA 2024d; Morton & Taylor 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Dealessandri 2020.
  5. ^ a b Wilde 2025.
  6. ^ Rose 2023.
  7. ^ Bell 2023.
  8. ^ Toro-McCue 2023.
  9. ^ a b Greenbaum 2023.
  10. ^ a b Walker 2023.
  11. ^ Valentine 2023k.
  12. ^ Litchfield 2024a.
  13. ^ a b Morton 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d e f Greenwald & Cuevas 2023.
  15. ^ Litchfield 2023.
  16. ^ Franey 2023.
  17. ^ a b c Rueben 2023.
  18. ^ a b Borger 2023.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Parkin & Ramos 2020c.
  20. ^ a b Kawanishi 2023.
  21. ^ Franey & Gould-Wilson 2023.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dekker 2023.
  23. ^ a b c d Luke 2023.
  24. ^ a b Statsenko & Gaidenko 2025, 1:23.
  25. ^ Ziel 2024.
  26. ^ Cotten 2023.
  27. ^ a b c d e Young 2023.
  28. ^ a b Zucosky 2023.
  29. ^ Kelly 2023a.
  30. ^ Martin 2023.
  31. ^ Kelly 2023c.
  32. ^ Litchfield 2023c.
  33. ^ a b Hefford 2023.
  34. ^ Dinsdale 2024.
  35. ^ a b c d Franey & Hurley 2023.
  36. ^ Grantham 2025.
  37. ^ a b c Myers 2023.
  38. ^ Bell 2023l.
  39. ^ a b c d e f g Hafer 2023.
  40. ^ Lee 2023a.
  41. ^ Wilde 2023c.
  42. ^ a b Petrovich 2023.
  43. ^ a b c Jones 2023c.
  44. ^ a b c Adam 2023c.
  45. ^ Novichenko 2023.
  46. ^ Park 2023c.
  47. ^ a b c Brown 2023r.
  48. ^ Cryer 2023.
  49. ^ Ambrose 2023.
  50. ^ Brown 2023a.
  51. ^ a b Orr 2024.
  52. ^ Bell & 2024as.
  53. ^ Wickens 2023.
  54. ^ Cripe 2024c.
  55. ^ a b c d e f Bailey 2023.
  56. ^ Robinson, Andy (18 August 2020). "Baldur's Gate 3's Early Access has slipped to September". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  57. ^ Randell, Harvey (29 June 2023). "Baldur's Gate 3 promises level 12 cap, new races, 22 new subclasses, and whopping 174 hours of cinematics in community update". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  58. ^ Hashimoto, Kazuma (1 August 2023). "We condensed years of D&D storylines to get you ready for Baldur's Gate 3". Polygon. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  59. ^ a b Mason 2020.
  60. ^ Muzyka 2001, p. 1.
  61. ^ a b Muzyka 2001, p. 3.
  62. ^ a b c Whitehead 2007.
  63. ^ a b Peel 2022.
  64. ^ Dias 2018.
  65. ^ McCaffrey 2019.
  66. ^ Dean 2015.
  67. ^ Dutton 2012.
  68. ^ Brown 2019b.
  69. ^ a b Brown 2019a.
  70. ^ a b Purslow 2019.
  71. ^ a b c d e f Harte 2024.
  72. ^ BAFTA 2024v, 5:52.
  73. ^ Peel 2025.
  74. ^ a b c d e f g h i Schreier 2023a.
  75. ^ Schreier 2023a; Kemp 2024.
  76. ^ a b Battaglia 2023a.
  77. ^ Schreier 2023b.
  78. ^ Nightingale 2024.
  79. ^ a b Park 2023.
  80. ^ Chalk 2020.
  81. ^ a b c Wilde 2023a.
  82. ^ a b Vitale 2019.
  83. ^ FX Staff 2019.
  84. ^ Morton & Taylor 2023.
  85. ^ Ide 2020.
  86. ^ a b c Frye 2021.
  87. ^ Cripe 2024a.
  88. ^ Purchese 2023.
  89. ^ Fenlon 2024.
  90. ^ Kuhnke 2023.
  91. ^ Jones 2024e.
  92. ^ BAFTA 2024d, 16:27.
  93. ^ Statsenko & Gaidenko 2025, 5:29.
  94. ^ Ryan 2020.
  95. ^ Cripe 2024b.
  96. ^ Tapsell 2024a.
  97. ^ Ramée 2021; Ramée 2022.
  98. ^ a b c d e Cassidy 2023.
  99. ^ Phillips 2023.
  100. ^ Leadbetter 2023.
  101. ^ Kennedy 2023.
  102. ^ Mahardy 2023.
  103. ^ Huxley 2023.
  104. ^ Yin-Poole 2023.
  105. ^ a b Jones 2023.
  106. ^ Valentine & Stedman 2023.
  107. ^ Parrish 2023.
  108. ^ Yin-Poole 2023e.
  109. ^ Koselke 2025.
  110. ^ Wales 2025a.
  111. ^ Gould-Wilson 2024.
  112. ^ Phillips 2023l.
  113. ^ Kerr 2023.
  114. ^ Stedman 2023.
  115. ^ Metacritic PC 2023.
  116. ^ Metacritic PS5 2023.
  117. ^ Metacritic Xbox 2023.
  118. ^ a b OpenCritic 2023.
  119. ^ a b c d e Van Aken 2023.
  120. ^ Rateau 2023.
  121. ^ Ruete 2023.
  122. ^ Brown 2023.
  123. ^ a b c d e Jackson 2023.
  124. ^ a b c Adam 2023.
  125. ^ Tucker 2023.
  126. ^ Metacritic PC 2023; Metacritic PS5 2023; Metacritic Xbox 2023.
  127. ^ Rueben 2023; Dekker 2023; Valentine 2023; Hafer 2023; Greenwald & Cuevas 2023.
  128. ^ Jones 2023; Hafer 2023; Battaglia 2023a.
  129. ^ Marshall 2023.
  130. ^ Bussell 2023.
  131. ^ Gould-Wilson 2023.
  132. ^ a b Jones 2023r.
  133. ^ Welsh 2023.
  134. ^ Ruete 2023; Brown 2023; Brown 2023r; Cassidy 2023.
  135. ^ Dekker 2023; Van Allen 2023; Greenwald & Cuevas 2023.
  136. ^ Brown 2023; Young 2023; Ruete 2023.
  137. ^ Van Allen 2023.
  138. ^ Moyer 2023.
  139. ^ Battaglia 2023b.
  140. ^ Valentine 2023r.
  141. ^ Lee 2023b.
  142. ^ Bolding 2025.
  143. ^ Dinsdale 2023.
  144. ^ Donovan 2023.
  145. ^ Jackson 2023a.
  146. ^ Ramsey 2024.
  147. ^ Litchfield 2024.
  148. ^ Mulligan 2024.
  149. ^ Wilde 2023b.
  150. ^ Colbert 2024.
  151. ^ Yin-Poole 2024.
  152. ^ Jones 2024.
  153. ^ Serin 2024b.
  154. ^ Orland 2023; Ramée 2023; West 2023; Savage 2023.
  155. ^ Hugo Awards 2024.
  156. ^ a b Loveridge 2023.
  157. ^ a b c Makuch 2023.
  158. ^ a b c Bankhurst 2024.
  159. ^ a b c Gerken & Cieslak 2024.
  160. ^ Ivan 2024.
  161. ^ McEvoy & 2024st.
  162. ^ McEvoy 2024.
  163. ^ MacDonald 2024.
  164. ^ Dunn & Malkin 2024.
  165. ^ Lyles 2024.
  166. ^ Willman 2021.
  167. ^ HMMA 2021.
  168. ^ HMMA 2023.
  169. ^ Valentine 2023a.
  170. ^ Tapsell 2024b.
  171. ^ Fanelli 2025.
  172. ^ Lane 2024.
  173. ^ Valentine 2025.
  174. ^ Kennedy 2025.
  175. ^ Kennedy 2024.
  176. ^ Kennedy 2023s.
  177. ^ Chalk 2025.

Bibliography

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Review aggregators

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