Baldur’s Gate 3 is an RPG set in the iconic world of Dungeons and Dragons. The game is currently in early access, and has been for a couple of years now, but will receive a full launch later this year.
Baldur’s Gate 3 sees you take on the role of an adventurer in a fantasy world who must lead a band of unlikely companions on a dangerous quest. Turn-based, isometric combat accompanies cinematic cutscenes in this spiritual successor to BioWare’s classic series by the same name. With hundreds of different character customization options, immersive dialogue, and branching storylines, Baldur’s Gate 3 provides a personalized fantasy epic for you to get lost in.
If you want to know more about Larian’s ambitious CRPG adventure, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn everything we know about Baldur’s Gate 3 so far.
Baldur’s Gate 3: cut to the chase
- What is it? A fantasy CRPG set in the world of Dungeons and Dragons
- When can I play it? August 31, 2023
- What can I play it on? PC and PS5
Baldur's Gate 3 release date and platforms
Baldur’s Gate 3′s will release on August 31, 2023, for PC, MacOS, and PS5. However, the game is currently available in Early Access on Steam. As for Xbox, things are a little bit more complicated. In a statement to IGN (opens in new tab), the studio said:
“We’ve had an Xbox version of Baldur’s Gate 3 in development for some time now. We’ve run into some technical issues in developing the Xbox port that have stopped us feeling 100% confident in announcing it until we’re certain we’ve found the right solutions – specifically, we’ve been unable to get splitscreen co-op to work to the same standard on both Xbox Series X and S, which is a requirement for us to ship.”
This means that while Baldur's Gate 3 is indeed planned for release on Xbox, the studio isn't announcing a release date for it until certain technical issues are ironed out. We'll update this page once more info is revealed.
Those who purchase Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam right now can enjoy the game’s first act, as well as a wide selection of character customization and dialogue options. That said, the game is still very much in Early Access. Though uncommon, you’ll likely encounter unfinished cutscenes and other missing features during your playthrough.
Baldur's Gate 3 trailers
Latest trailer
The most recent trailer for Baldur’s Gate 3 dropped at State of Play February 2023 (opens in new tab). During two minutes of delicious visuals, we’re introduced to the game’s main plot along with a few snippets of dialogue from some of the title’s more important characters, including party members Shadowheart, Gale, and Lae’zel.
The trailer’s final moments offer us what looks to be the final battle between the band of heroes against the antagonist, Ketheric.
More trailers
Though we’ve plastered a bunch of Baldur’s Gate 3 trailers throughout this article, you can find a host of other trailers, as well as some behind-the-scenes look at the game’s development on Larian Studios’ official YouTube channel (opens in new tab).
Baldur's Gate 3 story and setting
Baldur’s Gate 3 tells the tale of an unfortunate adventurer from the land of Faerûn. Abducted by sinister Mindflayers, our protagonist has been infected with a Mindflayer Tadople, a horrific little parasite that’ll gradually turn them into a tentacle-y abomination. The quest is simple: find a cure.
On this mission, you’ll encounter an ensemble cast of characters who, having found themselves in a similar situation, offer to join your party and support you on your journey. In act one, you’ll journey across the Sword Coast, searching its dangerous beaches and mysterious ruins for any leads you can find.
You’re joined by a memorable cast of characters, too, all of whom bring their own diverse perspectives to the table. Though only five party members are available in Early Access, we can expect more companions to show up in the full game.
Baldur's Gate 3 classes
When building your character in Baldur’s Gate 3 there are plenty of classes to choose from, each pulled from classic Dungeons and Dragons. When you create your character, you’ll need to select one of these options, so choose wisely.
- Clerics: channel the power of the gods to cast mighty spells.
- Fighters: masters of combat who wield weapons with peerless skill.
- Rangers: scouts who move through the wilds with stealth and grace.
- Rogues: use stealth, reflexes, and versatility to tackle almost anything.
- Warlocks: powerful spellcasters, who form pacts with eldrich beings.
- Wizards: employ knowledge of the arcane to cast devastating spells.
- Druids: harness the power of nature, channeling the power of the wilds.
- Sorcerors: cast spells through the magic of their powerful bloodlines.
- Barbarians: harness unmatched physicality and rage-fueled strength.
- Bards: use the magic of song and speech to weave enchantments.
- Paladins: are warriors of the gods blessed with divine powers.
Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay
Baldur’s Gate 3 is an isometric open-world RPG where you control a protagonist as well as a supporting party of adventurers. Though visually a lot like Diablo 4, gameplay in Baldur’s Gate is divided between real-time and turn-based sections.
The majority of the game happens in real time, you explore the map, solve puzzles, find items, and talk to NPCs. However, should things get violent, time pauses and characters politely take turns to act. In these moments Baldur’s Gate 3 becomes a lot like a tactical RPG, where positioning, as well as the use of skills and spells, becomes vital if you want to keep your party members alive.
As with previous Larian Studios games, Baldur’s Gate makes liberal use of environmental effects. If you hit a puddle of oil with a fire spell, it will ignite, causing a great deal of inconvenience for any poor unfortunate standing on top of it. Motion and positioning are key, too. Objects can be thrown and enemies can be shoved; providing a buffet of tactical options.
Baldur's Gate 3 news
JK Simmons to play one of the game's main villains
As revealed in a Steam blog post (opens in new tab) for Baldur's Gate 3, JK Simmons will be voicing General Ketheric Thorm, a seemingly invincible necromancer leading an army of the dead towards the city of Baldur’s Gate.
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