''Baldur's Gate 3'' is a 2023
role-playing video game
Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
developed and published by
Larian Studios
Larian Studios is a Belgian independent video game developer and Video game publisher, publisher founded in 1996 by Swen Vincke. Headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, Larian focuses on developing role-playing video games but has previously worked on e ...
. It is the third main installment of the ''
Baldur's Gate
''Baldur's Gate'' is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms '' Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The series has been divided into two sub-series, known as the ''Bhaalspawn Saga'' and the ''Dark Alliance'', both t ...
'' series, based on the tabletop
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
role-playing game ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
''. A partial version of the game was released in
early access
Early access, also known as alpha access, alpha founding, paid alpha, or game preview, is a funding model in the video game industry by which consumers can purchase and play a game in the various pre-release Software release life cycle, developm ...
for
macOS
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
and
Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
in October 2020 until the full release for Windows in August 2023, with versions for
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
,
macOS
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
, and
Xbox Series X/S
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part o ...
releasing later that year.
Set in the universe of the
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
, the game begins with the protagonist waking up from unconsciousness on a
mind flayer
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, illithids (commonly known as mind flayers) are monstrous humanoid ''aberrations'' with psionic powers. In a typical ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns ...
dimension-crossing ship infected with a parasitic tadpole that threatens to transform them into a mind flayer. Alongside several others who have met the same fate, they are forced to go on a quest to find a remedy to prevent
ceremorphosis. Players choose from twelve
character classes and customise their characters at the beginning of the game; they also select an
origin
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
from several options. Through interacting with other characters, engaging in round-based combat against enemies, and making plot decisions, players determine not only their fate but also the fate of
Faerûn
Faerûn ( ) is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' world of ''Forgotten Realms''. It is described in detail in several editions of the ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' (first published in 1987 by TSR, I ...
. That determination is also impacted by the game's dice roll mechanic, where a player's roll determines whether the outcome of a character's action is successful.
''Baldur's Gate 3'' received critical acclaim, with praise for its gameplay, narrative, production quality, and acting performances. It has been ranked among the
greatest video games of all time
This is a list of video games that video game journalists or magazines have considered among the best of all time. The games are included on at least six separate best-of lists from different publications (inclusive of all time periods, platfor ...
and won numerous
Game of the Year awards, including becoming the first game to win Game of the Year at all five major video game award ceremonies: the
British Academy Games Awards
The BAFTA Games Awards or British Academy Games Awards are an annual British awards ceremony honouring "outstanding creative achievement" in the video game industry. First presented in 2004 following the restructuring of the BAFTA Interactive En ...
, the
D.I.C.E. Awards
The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an annual awards show in the video game industry, and commonly referred to as the video game equivalent of the Academy Awards. The awards are arranged by the Academy of Inter ...
,
the Game Awards
The Game Awards is an annual awards ceremony honoring achievements in the video game industry. Established in 2014, the shows are produced and hosted by game journalist Geoff Keighley. After working on its predecessor, the Spike Video Game Awar ...
, the
Game Developers Choice Awards
The Game Developers Choice Awards are awards annually presented at the Game Developers Conference for outstanding video game developer, game developers and video game, games. Introduced in 2001, the Game Developers Choice Awards were preceded by ...
, and the
Golden Joystick Awards
The Golden Joystick Awards, also known as the People's Gaming Awards, is a video game award ceremony; it awards the best video games of the year, as voted for originally by the British general public, but is now a global event that can be voted ...
.
Gameplay
''Baldur's Gate 3'' is a
role-playing video game
Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
with single-player and cooperative multiplayer elements. Players can create one or more characters and form a party along with a number of pre-generated characters to explore the game's story. Optionally, players are able to take one of their characters and team up online with other players to form a party.
The game implements a flexible quest system with various approaches to resolving most quests. Players can eliminate almost any
non-player character
A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...
, regardless of their importance to the storyline, yet still continue to advance through the game. The game is divided into three acts, each taking place in a distinct region of the world. Within these acts, the game adopts a non-linear format, permitting players to tackle quests in virtually any sequence.
Unlike previous games in the ''Baldur's Gate'' series, ''Baldur's Gate 3'' has turn-based combat, similar to Larian's earlier games ''
Divinity: Original Sin'' and ''
Divinity: Original Sin II''; all combat is based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th Edition rules. Most mechanics and spells are taken from the
tabletop role-playing game
A tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG or TRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a kind of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech and sometimes movements. Participants d ...
version of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', although some are modified or omitted due to the adaptation of the game into a
role-playing video game
Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
format.
There are 12
character classes, which are further subdivided into 46
subclasses. A later update expanded this list to 58 total available subclasses. Each class focuses on a different aspect of the combat system, such as the
wizard, who focuses on casting a large variety of spells or the
barbarian
A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice.
A "barbarian" may ...
, who focuses on unarmoured melee combat.
The player can also select more than one class per character, which is referred to as
multiclassing, allowing the player to build their character in many different and unique ways.
The game incorporates a roster of ten companion characters who are available for players to enlist into their party. Each of these characters has a personal story and a narrative that the player can explore further. The player can develop relationships with companion characters based on plot and dialogue choices made. Some of the companion characters are only accessible provided that the player makes specific plot or dialogue choices.
All characters, both major and minor, are fully
voice acted and
motion capture
Motion capture (sometimes referred as mocap or mo-cap, for short) is the process of recording high-resolution motion (physics), movement of objects or people into a computer system. It is used in Military science, military, entertainment, sports ...
d, amounting to approximately 1.5 million words of performance capture.
The game features a limited free floating camera, allowing the player to play the game in any camera ranging from fully third-person camera to an isometric top-down view.
The game's user interface has both a mouse and keyboard and a controller mode. In both modes, the player can use spells and combat actions, manage inventory, see the map, display player and companion character's statistics and select various gameplay elements such as allied and enemy characters.
The game has
modding
Modding (from "modifying") is the act of modifying hardware, software, or anything else to perform a function not originally intended by the designer, or to achieve bespoke specification or appearance. The term is often used in reference to vid ...
support, although not all features and tools are available at launch, and modding options are expected to expand with subsequent updates. Many mods are available from the community, allowing the player to change various aspects of the game.
Plot
Setting
''Baldur's Gate 3'' takes place in the fictional world of the ''
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
'' during the year of 1492
DR, over 120 years after the events of the previous game, ''
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn,'' and months after the events of the playable ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5e module, ''
Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus''. The story is set primarily in the Sword Coast in western
Faerûn
Faerûn ( ) is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' world of ''Forgotten Realms''. It is described in detail in several editions of the ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' (first published in 1987 by TSR, I ...
, encompassing a forested area that includes the Emerald Grove, a druid grove dedicated to the deity Silvanus; Moonrise Towers and the Shadow-Cursed Lands, which are covered by an unnatural and sentient darkness that can only be penetrated through magical means; and
Baldur's Gate
''Baldur's Gate'' is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms '' Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The series has been divided into two sub-series, known as the ''Bhaalspawn Saga'' and the ''Dark Alliance'', both t ...
, the largest and most affluent city in the region, as well as its outlying suburb of Rivington. Other places the player visits include the
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in '' Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing campaigns and ''Dungeons & Dragons''-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore. It is described as a vast subter ...
, the
Astral Plane
The astral plane, also called the astral realm, or the astral world, or the soul realm, or the spirit realm, is a plane of existence postulated by classical, medieval, oriental, esoteric, and New Age philosophies and mystery religions.G. R. S. ...
and
Avernus.
Characters
The game is fully narrated by voice actress Amelia Tyler, who acts as the
Dungeon Master, describing the world and the player's actions throughout the story. The player character can either be created from scratch by the player, chosen from six pre-made "origin characters", or a customisable seventh origin character known as the
Dark Urge (
Neil Roberts). All six pre-made origin characters can be recruited as part of the player character's party. They include Lae'zel (Devora Wilde), a
githyanki fighter; Shadowheart (Jennifer English), a
half-elf
A half-elf is a mythological or fictional being, the offspring of an immortal elf and a mortal man. They are often depicted as very beautiful and endowed with magical powers; they may be presented as torn between the two worlds that they inhabit ...
cleric
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
;
Astarion (
Neil Newbon), a high elf vampire
rogue; Gale (
Tim Downie), a human
wizard; Wyll (Theo Solomon), a human
warlock
A warlock is a male practitioner of witchcraft.
Etymology and terminology
The most commonly accepted etymology derives '' warlock'' from the Old English '' wǣrloga'', which meant "breaker of oaths" or "deceiver". The term came to apply special ...
; and Karlach (Samantha Béart), a
tiefling barbarian
A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice.
A "barbarian" may ...
. Four other characters may join the player's party: Halsin (Dave Jones), a wood elf
druid
A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...
; Jaheira (
Tracy Wiles
Tracy Wiles (born c. 1970), also credited as Tracey Wiles, is an English actress, who has worked on radio, stage and TV, and in film. She has appeared in '' McCallum'' (1997), ''Sea of Souls'' (2004), ''Doctors'' (2005–2023), '' The Line of Be ...
), a half-elf druid and leader of the Harpers;
Minsc
Minsc is a fictional character in the Baldur's Gate (series), ''Baldur's Gate'' series of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing video games developed by BioWare and Larian Studios. He originated from the Pen-and-paper role-playing game, pen-and- ...
(
Matthew Mercer
Matthew Christopher Miller, known professionally as Matthew Mercer or Matt Mercer, is an American voice actor, game designer and gamemaster. He has been an active voice-over artist in video games and animation since 2002.
Notable animation cre ...
), a human
ranger who carries a hamster named Boo with him; and
Minthara (Emma Gregory), a
drow
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of Elf (Dungeons & Dragons), elves connected to the Subterranea (geography), subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have t ...
paladin
The Paladins, also called the Twelve Peers (), are twelve legendary knights, the foremost members of Charlemagne's court in the 8th century. They first appear in the medieval (12th century) ''chanson de geste'' cycle of the Matter of France, wh ...
. Jaheira and Minsc previously appeared in both ''Baldur's Gate'' and ''Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn''.
The primary antagonists of the game are the Absolute (
Cissy Jones
Cissy Jones is an American voice actress.
Jones's voice has appeared in games such as ''Firewatch'', '' The Walking Dead'', ''Life Is Strange'', ''Grand Theft Auto V'' and '' Darksiders III''. She voiced the part of Lois Lane in the 2018 game ...
), and her three chosen followers General Ketheric Thorm (
J. K. Simmons), Lord Enver Gortash (
Jason Isaacs
Jason Isaacs (born 6 June 1963) is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of D.J. in ''Event Horizon'' (1997), Ronald Quincy in ''Armageddon'' (1998), Colonel William Tavington in '' The Patriot'' (2000), Michael D. Steele in '' ...
), and Orin the Red (Maggie Robertson). Additional major characters include: Withers (
Stephen Boxer
Stephen Boxer (born 19 May 1950) is an English actor who has appeared in films, on television and on stage. He is known for his role as Joe Fenton (Doctors), Joe Fenton on the BBC soap opera ''Doctors (2000 TV series), Doctors''.
Career
Stephen ...
), 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
Doug Cockle is an American actor and director. He is currently working as a freelance actor.
Cockle is known for his voice-over roles in videogames, most notably of Geralt of Rivia in ''The Witcher'' series. He was nominated for a Game Award ...
), the God of Murder; Mystra (
Jane Perry), Goddess of Magic; Shar (Harriet Hare), Goddess of Darkness;
Volo (
Stephen Hogan
Stephen Hogan is an Irish actor and audiobook narrator.
Biography
Hogan was born in August 1965 and grew up in Dartry, Dublin, Ireland. He is the son of Brian Hogan, a prominent Dublin architect, and Marie née Lawton. His grandfather, Sars ...
), 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
Grey DeLisle (; born Erin Grey Van Oosbree; August 24, 1973), sometimes credited as Grey Griffin, is an American voice actress and singer-songwriter. DeLisle is known for various roles in animated productions and video games. On September 27, ...
.
Story
The protagonist wakes up inside a giant dimension-crossing
illithid
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, illithids (commonly known as mind flayers) are monstrous humanoid ''aberrations'' with psionic powers. In a typical ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns ...
(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
The original ''Baldur's Gate'' game was developed by
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1995 by newly graduated Doctor of Medicine, medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip. Since 2007, the company has been owned by American ...
and
Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios is a division of the video game developer, developer and video game publisher, publisher Interplay Entertainment formed in 1996 that develops role-playing video games. It has published several games from other developers.
Blac ...
, and published by
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corp. is an American video game developer and publisher based in Los Angeles. The company was founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by developers Brian Fargo, Jay Patel, Troy Worrell, and Rebecca Heineman, as well a ...
in 1998. The game used a licensed version of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') rule set, specifically in the ''
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
'' setting. The game's success led to a sequel, ''
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn'', and its expansion pack, as well as the ''
Icewind Dale'' series and ''
Planescape: Torment''. After the success of the spinoff ''
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance'' by
Snowblind Studios
Snowblind Studios was an American video game developer located in Kirkland, Washington. They were founded in 1997, specializing in role-playing video games.
In February 2009, Snowblind Studios was acquired by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. O ...
, Interplay announced plans to produce further sequels to the ''Baldur's Gate'' series. A planned sequel developed by Black Isle Studios, ''
Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound'', was cancelled in 2003. Black Isle Studios would develop ''
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II'' before being shut down by Interplay in December 2003. Further development on the series was halted due to a lawsuit between Interplay and Snowblind over the rights to the ''Dark Alliance'' trademark, and the ''Baldur's Gate'' trademark would revert to Atari.
Atari would publish ''
Neverwinter Nights
''Neverwinter Nights'' is a series of video games developed by BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment, based on the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Aside from also being set around the city Nev ...
'', developed by BioWare, in 2002 and ''
Neverwinter Nights 2
''Neverwinter Nights 2'' is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari Interactive. It is the second installment in the ''Neverwinter Nights'' series and is the sequel to BioWare's ''Neverwinter Nights ...
'', developed by
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Irvine, California and part of Xbox Game Studios. It was founded in June 2003, shortly before the closure of Black Isle Studios, by ex-Black Isle employees Feargus Urquh ...
, founded by former members of Black Isle Studios, in 2007. After the release of ''Neverwinter Nights 2'', Obsidian Entertainment founder
Feargus Urquhart unsuccessfully approached Atari to develop a sequel to ''Baldur's Gate''. Further attempts to develop a new ''Baldur's Gate'' were made by
Brian Fargo, the founder of both
Interplay and
inXile Entertainment
inXile Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and a studio of Xbox Game Studios based in Tustin, California. Specializing in role-playing video games, inXile was founded in 2002 by Interplay co-founder Brian Fargo. The studio ...
, as well as
Beamdog, developers of enhanced ports of the original games and the standalone expansion ''
Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear''.
Larian Studios were interested in making a sequel in the ''Baldur's Gate'' series for some time, having first approached
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
after their release of ''
Divinity: Original Sin'' around 2014. At this time, Wizards of the Coast felt the studio was still too new to the industry to be trusted with the ''Baldur's Gate'' licence. Larian then developed ''
Divinity: Original Sin II'', which was released in September 2017. Pre-release materials related to the game impressed Wizards of the Coast, so they contacted Larian to ask if they still had interest in ''Baldur's Gate 3''. Larian accepted, and while working to wrap up the release stage of development for ''Divinity: Original Sin II'', a small group gathered to develop the design document to present to Wizards of the Coast with their ideas for the new ''Baldur's Gate''.

The game is based on the
5th-edition ''Dungeons & Dragons'' rule set, though it includes tweaks and modifications that Larian found necessary in adapting it to a video game. For example, the combat system is more in favour of the player than in the tabletop version, to make the game more enjoyable.
Larian Studios teased ''Baldur's Gate 3'' in the week prior to
E3 2019
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2019 (E3 2019) was the 25th E3, during which hardware manufacturers, software developers, and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to the attendees, primarily retailers a ...
. They formally revealed it during Google's presentation on the
Stadia platform just ahead of E3, confirming its release for both Windows and Stadia. The tabletop adventure ''
Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus'' was published by Wizards of the Coast in September 2019, and has been described as a "prequel" to ''Baldur's Gate 3''. The ''Descent into Avernus'' adventure takes place roughly 100 years after the events of ''Baldur's Gate II'', and the story of ''Baldur's Gate 3'' takes place immediately following the events of the ''Descent into Avernus'' tabletop module. On 5 October 2020, Larian Studios announced the game would be released for
macOS
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
in addition to Windows and Stadia. ''Baldur's Gate 3'' runs on
Divinity Engine 4.0.
In March 2024, Swen Vincke announced that Larian Studios would not be producing any
DLC or sequels for ''Baldur's Gate 3'', citing the constraints of developing within the
''D&D'' ruleset and a desire to "pass the torch to the next developer" and pursue other projects.
Release
''Baldur's Gate 3'' was originally set to be released in
early access
Early access, also known as alpha access, alpha founding, paid alpha, or game preview, is a funding model in the video game industry by which consumers can purchase and play a game in the various pre-release Software release life cycle, developm ...
on 30 September 2020 before being delayed a week to 6 October. The early access version contained only the first act, amounting to approximately 25 hours of content. Additional features and content, including multiplayer functionality and more classes, were added throughout early access.
The version for
Stadia was cancelled following the closure of the platform in January 2023. In February 2023, it was announced that ''Baldur's Gate 3'' would be released for Windows, macOS, and
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
on 31 August 2023. The PlayStation 5 and macOS versions would be delayed to 6 and 22 September.
Spike Chunsoft
is a Japanese video game development and video game localization, localization company specializing in role-playing video games, visual novels and adventure games. The company was founded in 1984 as Chunsoft Co., Ltd. and merged with Spike (compa ...
published the PlayStation 5 version in Japan on 21 December 2023. An
Xbox Series X and Series S
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part o ...
version was released on 7 December 2023, which was delayed due to performance issues on the Xbox Series S with splitscreen co-op, which was cut from the Series S version.
Gameplay features like the Magic Mirror, allowing users to change their character's appearance, were added with patches after release. A patch in December 2023 added two new difficulty modes, quality of life enhancements, and a new playable epilogue containing over 3,500 new dialogue lines. A physical version released in May 2024.
Reception
''Baldur's Gate 3'' received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
website
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
,
with 98% of critics recommending the game on aggregator
OpenCritic
OpenCritic is a review aggregation website for video games. OpenCritic lists reviews from critics across multiple video game publications for the games listed on the site. The website then generates a numeric score by averaging all of the numeri ...
.
Critics praised the quality of the writing, including the detailed depiction of the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
'' setting of
Faerûn
Faerûn ( ) is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' world of ''Forgotten Realms''. It is described in detail in several editions of the ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' (first published in 1987 by TSR, I ...
;
the intertwined storylines enabling alternate story moments and a large degree of player freedom;
and the characters, particularly companions, that feel interesting and memorable.
Critics also praised the production quality, including the voice acting,
character and facial animations,
and detailed environments.
The game's implementation of the
''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition ruleset was well received,
although some critics were concerned that the complexity of the system could be daunting for players wholly unfamiliar with the tabletop version of the game.
The technical performance and its few bugs were highlighted, especially given many vast and complex game systems and interactions.
Critics were more lukewarm on the inventory system and some aspects of the user interface, such as needing to micromanage the equipment of multiple characters.
The
Dark Urge character origin received particular critical acclaim, with reviewers drawing parallels to the independent storyline in ''Fallout: New Vegas'' and the Malkavian clan in ''Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines''. ''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain.
The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon ...
''s Cass Marshall, among other critics, praised how the internal struggle with intrusive thoughts and their consequences added narrative depth. In ''
TechRadar
''TechRadar'' is an online technology publication owned by Future plc. It has editorial teams in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia that provide news and reviews of tech products and gadgets. It was launched in 2008 and expanded t ...
'', Cat Bussell noted that the manifestation of dark urges through dialogue options and appearances of Sceleritas Fel created a distinct sense of loss of control, comparable to horror game experiences. ''
GamesRadar+
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and '' Compute ...
''s Jasmine Gould-Wilson observed that the character's integral connection to the plot reinforced its perceived canonicity and heightened the impact of player choices.
Fraser Brown of ''
PC Gamer
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'' called the game "the new pinnacle of the
Role-playing video game">CRPG">Role-playing_video_game.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Role-playing video game">CRPG/nowiki> genre", while ''IGN Portugal'' called it a "must-play masterpiece that sets a new bar in the RPG universe".
Alex Battaglia of ''Eurogamer'' praised the game's performance on PC, and added that "''Baldur's Gate 3'' launches in a polished state with no game-breaking issues, shaming the technical quality of other big AAA releases".
Sales
''Baldur's Gate 3'' became the best-selling game on both Steam
Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
and GOG.com on the day of its early access launch. On Steam, the game had about 537,000 concurrent players on release day and peaked at 875,000 two weeks after release. It sold more than 2.5 million copies during its early access
Early access, also known as alpha access, alpha founding, paid alpha, or game preview, is a funding model in the video game industry by which consumers can purchase and play a game in the various pre-release Software release life cycle, developm ...
phase. Sales surpassed Larian's expectations, as well as those of Microsoft when considering the Xbox release. By 26 February 2024 the Director of Publishing at Larian, Michael Douse, said the game had sold "way over 10 illionin a very short space of time". In November 2024, Douse further revealed that the number of daily active users is up 20% over the previous year, which Douse attributed to the release of the official modding
Modding (from "modifying") is the act of modifying hardware, software, or anything else to perform a function not originally intended by the designer, or to achieve bespoke specification or appearance. The term is often used in reference to vid ...
support.
Accolades
''Baldur's Gate 3'' became the first game to win the Game of the Year award at all five major video game award ceremonies; the Golden Joystick Awards
The Golden Joystick Awards, also known as the People's Gaming Awards, is a video game award ceremony; it awards the best video games of the year, as voted for originally by the British general public, but is now a global event that can be voted ...
, The Game Awards
The Game Awards is an annual awards ceremony honoring achievements in the video game industry. Established in 2014, the shows are produced and hosted by game journalist Geoff Keighley. After working on its predecessor, the Spike Video Game Awar ...
, the D.I.C.E. Awards
The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an annual awards show in the video game industry, and commonly referred to as the video game equivalent of the Academy Awards. The awards are arranged by the Academy of Inter ...
, the Game Developers Choice Awards
The Game Developers Choice Awards are awards annually presented at the Game Developers Conference for outstanding video game developer, game developers and video game, games. Introduced in 2001, the Game Developers Choice Awards were preceded by ...
, and the British Academy Games Awards
The BAFTA Games Awards or British Academy Games Awards are an annual British awards ceremony honouring "outstanding creative achievement" in the video game industry. First presented in 2004 following the restructuring of the BAFTA Interactive En ...
. The game was selected by ''Ars Technica
''Ars Technica'' is a website covering news and opinions in technology, science, politics, and society, created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews, and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, sci ...
'', ''GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'', ''GamesRadar
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and ''Computer ...
'', ''3DJuegos'', ''PC Gamer
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'', and ''Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers.
...
'', as their Game of the Year.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldur's Gate 3
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