It's Party Time: Baldur's Gate 3 is Out Now
Six years in the making and more than twenty years in the waiting, we can finally say this:
Baldur’s Gate 3 is out now on PC!
It's time to gather your party and venture forth.
Make sure you're sufficiently prepared with our tips for ensuring a smooth transition from Early Access to release. If you have questions or run into issues, check the FAQ below or
contact our support team.
Look for more updates from us in the coming days, but for now, here's a message from our founder & creative director, Swen Vincke.
It’s hard to express how much love went into creating Baldur’s Gate 3. For over six years, more than 400 of us poured our hearts and souls into making this, helped by over 2.5 million Early Access players who spent countless hours giving us feedback.
The result is a beautiful, rich universe where you can escape from your daily worries, experience adventure and wonder, and have many many cool and exciting encounters. It’s a place where your identity and choices matter, where surprise lies around every corner, and where your agency is truly rewarded.
I’m super proud of what our team accomplished and I hope you will have an incredible amount of fun exploring what we prepared for you.
-- Swen Vincke
Frequently Asked Questions
For the full FAQ, check the FAQ post
on our Steam forums.
What is Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons where your choices shape a tale of fellowship & betrayal, survival & sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power.
Do I need to have played Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 to be able to enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a new adventure set in the Forgotten Realms and focuses on new characters. You’ll see some familiar places and faces if you’ve played Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, but you don’t need to have played them to enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3.
What platforms can I play the game on?
Baldur's Gate 3 is currently released on PC, via Steam, GOG and Nvidia GeForce NOW.
Baldur’s Gate 3 will release on September 6th on PS5 (September 3rd for owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition). We’re also targeting September 6 for Mac (via Steam, GOG, GeForce NOW) — to be confirmed. Additional platforms TBD.
What other platforms is the game coming to? Will it release on Xbox?
Our goal is to bring our games to as many platforms as possible. We’re optimistic about Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Xbox Series X, but in order to announce and release the game on Xbox, we need to ensure that the game is performing without compromise across the entire Xbox X|S ecosystem in multiplayer and with split-screen. We’ve already put a lot of effort into making it work and will continue to do so. Like with the PS5 version, we’ll release it when it’s ready.
I have an issue, where can I get help?
Make sure you check out our Frequently Asked Questions page over at
https://larian.com/support/ You can also check our list of known issues here [LINK]
To get help and report any issues you have encountered you can email
supportbg3@larian.com
Can I use a controller?
Baldur’s Gate 3 has full controller support on PC.
What languages is BG3 available in? What are the minimum system requirements?
Check our
Steam store page for more information.
How do I play Baldur’s Gate 3 through GeForce NOW?
You can now experience Baldur’s Gate 3 across more devices with GeForce NOW, from underpowered PCs to unsupported devices. All you have to do is head to NVidia’s website and follow their steps to create a membership (you will need to own the game in your Steam library):
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce-now/memberships/
You can find more information on NVidia’s GeForce NOW FAQ:
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce-now/faq
What's the difference between DX11 and Vulkan mode?
Vulkan presents a potential performance increase over DX11 in most cases, though may be slightly less stable for now. Baldur’s Gate 3 defaults to DX11.
Please note that Vulkan is driver-sensitive, and might need some experimentation to find which driver runs best.
What game engine is being used?
Baldur’s Gate 3 has been built using the new in-house Divinity 4.0 engine.
GAME CONTENT INFORMATION
What is an Origin character?
Origins are playable heroes, each with their own stories, desires, and attitudes towards the world around you. Whether you choose to experience the story of Baldur’s Gate 3 through an Origin’s perspective or recruit them to journey alongside you as companions, your choices as a player have a huge impact on the way their stories unfold.
If recruited as companions, their previous experiences and attitudes will influence their opinion about what you should do and how you should behave. Everything that you do or say might influence the course of your relationship with them, and determine whether you'll become friends, lovers, rivals, or bitter enemies.
What Origin Characters are available to play/recruit?
The Origin Characters are: Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Karlach, Wyll and The Dark Urge.
Unlike Baldur’s Gate 3’s other playable protagonists, the Dark Urge is a fully customisable character: from your class and species, to your gender and overall appearance, and even your name. The Dark Urge will not be recruitable when not played.
Can I change the class of the Origin characters when I recruit them?
Yes! In Baldur’s Gate 3, you have the freedom to respec not only your chosen protagonist’s class but also that of your playable companions and pre-authored Origin characters.
Bear in mind that some characters' class is closely intertwined with their story, and respeccing them will not change this.
Can I create a custom character?
Yes, you can create a custom character.
If you create a custom character, you’ll have the freedom to define your race, class and appearance, and you'll still find yourself embedded in the story of Baldur's Gate 3 through personal connections to the events that unfold.
What is the final level cap in the game?
Level 12.
What difficulty options are available?
As well as the default Balanced mode, you will be able to play the game in Explorer Mode and Tactician Mode;
In Explorer mode, combat has been made more forgiving so players can fully immerse themselves in the narrative layer of this adventure. In this mode, friendly NPCs are harder to kill, trader prices are at a 20 percent discount, and you'll begin the game with a +2 starting proficiency bonus.
Tactician mode, then, is where to test your mettle. In this mode, enemy lethality is cranked up to Brutal, ensuring that enemy AI are stronger, will prioritise squishier targets with low AC, and will seize opportunities to go in for the kill. Additionally, many adjustments have been made to the fights themselves specifically for Tactician mode, with certain enemies receiving additional support through reinforcements, spells, or consumable items.
Will there be modding support?
Modding will be supported sometime after launch. We loved what our modding community did with DOS2, and we’re excited to see what they’ll do with BG3.
Can I Pet The Dog?
There are multiple dogs in the game and you will be able to pet some of them!
MULTIPLAYER CONTENT INFORMATION
Is there multiplayer?
Yes, there is 4 player online multiplayer. In 4 player online multiplayer, players can either start a multiplayer journey together and both create their own custom character or join a friend’s single player game during the adventure. In this case, they will take over a companion.
Is there Cross Play?
Baldur’s Gate 3 currently supports cross-play between Steam and GOG on PC.
Is there split-screen co-op?
Yes.
Is it the sequel of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2?
Yes. The story takes place 100 years after the events in Baldur’s Gate 2 and shortly after the events of Descent into Avernus. We don’t want to spoil anything about the story, but it will be connected to the previous games in meaningful ways.
How is the storyline linked to D&D?
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place right after the events of Descent into Avernus. The holy city of Elturel disappeared from the Forgotten Realms and descended into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. In our canon, it was saved by a party of heroes. The game is based on the 5th edition ruleset of D&D and was created closely together with Wizards of the Coast.
Is your party permanent or can you change members out throughout the adventure?
Recruited companions will be at camp when not in the adventuring party, and can be swapped in and out at camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the full FAQ, check the FAQ post
on our Steam forums.
What is Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons where your choices shape a tale of fellowship & betrayal, survival & sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power.
Do I need to have played Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 to be able to enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a new adventure set in the Forgotten Realms and focuses on new characters. You’ll see some familiar places and faces if you’ve played Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, but you don’t need to have played them to enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3.
What platforms can I play the game on?
Baldur's Gate 3 is currently released on PC, via Steam, GOG and Nvidia GeForce NOW.
Baldur’s Gate 3 will release on September 6th on PS5 (September 3rd for owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition). We’re also targeting September 6 for Mac (via Steam, GOG, GeForce NOW) — to be confirmed. Additional platforms TBD.
What other platforms is the game coming to? Will it release on Xbox?
Our goal is to bring our games to as many platforms as possible. We’re optimistic about Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Xbox Series X, but in order to announce and release the game on Xbox, we need to ensure that the game is performing without compromise across the entire Xbox X|S ecosystem in multiplayer and with split-screen. We’ve already put a lot of effort into making it work and will continue to do so. Like with the PS5 version, we’ll release it when it’s ready.
I have an issue, where can I get help?
Make sure you check out our Frequently Asked Questions page over at
https://larian.com/support/ To get help and report any issues you have encountered, please do so through
our Support page.
Can I use a controller?
Baldur’s Gate 3 has full controller support on PC.
What languages is BG3 available in? What are the minimum system requirements?
Check our
Steam store page for more information.
How do I play Baldur’s Gate 3 through GeForce NOW?
You can now experience Baldur’s Gate 3 across more devices with GeForce NOW, from underpowered PCs to unsupported devices. All you have to do is head to NVidia’s website and follow their steps to create a membership (you will need to own the game in your Steam library):
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce-now/memberships/
You can find more information on NVidia’s GeForce NOW FAQ:
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce-now/faq
What's the difference between DX11 and Vulkan mode?
Vulkan presents a potential performance increase over DX11 in most cases, though may be slightly less stable for now. Baldur’s Gate 3 defaults to DX11.
Please note that Vulkan is driver-sensitive, and might need some experimentation to find which driver runs best.
What game engine is being used?
Baldur’s Gate 3 has been built using the new in-house Divinity 4.0 engine.
GAME CONTENT INFORMATION
What is an Origin character?
Origins are playable heroes, each with their own stories, desires, and attitudes towards the world around you. Whether you choose to experience the story of Baldur’s Gate 3 through an Origin’s perspective or recruit them to journey alongside you as companions, your choices as a player have a huge impact on the way their stories unfold.
If recruited as companions, their previous experiences and attitudes will influence their opinion about what you should do and how you should behave. Everything that you do or say might influence the course of your relationship with them, and determine whether you'll become friends, lovers, rivals, or bitter enemies.
What Origin Characters are available to play/recruit?
The Origin Characters are: Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Karlach, Wyll and The Dark Urge.
Unlike Baldur’s Gate 3’s other playable protagonists, the Dark Urge is a fully customisable character: from your class and species, to your gender and overall appearance, and even your name. The Dark Urge will not be recruitable when not played.
Can I change the class of the Origin characters when I recruit them?
Yes! In Baldur’s Gate 3, you have the freedom to respec not only your chosen protagonist’s class but also that of your playable companions and pre-authored Origin characters.
Bear in mind that some characters' class is closely intertwined with their story, and respeccing them will not change this.
Can I create a custom character?
Yes, you can create a custom character.
If you create a custom character, you’ll have the freedom to define your race, class and appearance, and you'll still find yourself embedded in the story of Baldur's Gate 3 through personal connections to the events that unfold.
What is the final level cap in the game?
Level 12.
What difficulty options are available?
As well as the default Balanced mode, you will be able to play the game in Explorer Mode and Tactician Mode;
In Explorer mode, combat has been made more forgiving so players can fully immerse themselves in the narrative layer of this adventure. In this mode, friendly NPCs are harder to kill, trader prices are at a 20 percent discount, and you'll begin the game with a +2 starting proficiency bonus.
Tactician mode, then, is where to test your mettle. In this mode, enemy lethality is cranked up to Brutal, ensuring that enemy AI are stronger, will prioritise squishier targets with low AC, and will seize opportunities to go in for the kill. Additionally, many adjustments have been made to the fights themselves specifically for Tactician mode, with certain enemies receiving additional support through reinforcements, spells, or consumable items.
Will there be modding support?
Modding will be supported sometime after launch. We loved what our modding community did with DOS2, and we’re excited to see what they’ll do with BG3.
Can I Pet The Dog?
There are multiple dogs in the game and you will be able to pet some of them!
MULTIPLAYER CONTENT INFORMATION
Is there multiplayer?
Yes, there is 4 player online multiplayer. In 4 player online multiplayer, players can either start a multiplayer journey together and both create their own custom character or join a friend’s single player game during the adventure. In this case, they will take over a companion.
Is there Cross Play?
Baldur’s Gate 3 currently supports cross-play between Steam and GOG on PC.
Is there split-screen co-op?
Yes.
Is it the sequel of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2?
Yes. The story takes place 100 years after the events in Baldur’s Gate 2 and shortly after the events of Descent into Avernus. We don’t want to spoil anything about the story, but it will be connected to the previous games in meaningful ways.
How is the storyline linked to D&D?
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place right after the events of Descent into Avernus. The holy city of Elturel disappeared from the Forgotten Realms and descended into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. In our canon, it was saved by a party of heroes. The game is based on the 5th edition ruleset of D&D and was created closely together with Wizards of the Coast.
Is your party permanent or can you change members out throughout the adventure?
Recruited companions will be at camp when not in the adventuring party, and can be swapped in and out at camp.
USEFUL LINKS
Game website:
https://baldursgate3.game/ Larian Studios website:
http://larian.com Larian Studios Support:
https://larian.com/support/ Twitter:
https://twitter.com/larianstudios Twitter:
https://twitter.com/baldursgate3 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LarianStudios Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BaldursGate3 Discord:
https://discord.com/invite/larianstudios Larian Forums:
http://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm
That was about 60-something GB.
