Baldur's Gate 3
An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerûn lies in your hands. Alone, you may resist. But together, you can overcome ... Prepare for the return of a malevolent presence to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out, corrupting everything that remains in the Forgotten Realms. Gather your party. - Larian Studios.
BG3 is going to be fully released on Microsoft Windows (PC) and Mac in August 2023. Early Access is currently purchaseable on Steam, GoG and Google Stadia services. However, it only includes the Prologue and Act 1, and its level range is 1-4.
Baldur's Gate 3 release date has been announced as being August 31st, 2023. PC and PS5 only (and possibly XBox).
Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8
Patch 8 was released on the 7th of July 2022, the patch most notably adds the Gnome race and the Bard class to Baldur's Gate 3.
Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 9
Patch 9 of Baldur's Gate 3 increases the level cap to 5 and adds the Paladin class.
Baldur's Gate 3 Two Year Anniversary in Early Access
On October 6 2022, let us celebrate Baldur's Gate 3 for its two years in Early Access, a version of the game that includes one Act of the plot and allows for four character levels.
Baldur's Gate 3 Key Points
- BG3 supports both single-player and multi-player game modes.
- BioWare's Baldur's Gate (1998) is a computer role-playing game that employs Tactical Studies Rules' AD&D 2nd Edition ruleset whereas Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 employs Wizards of the Coast's D&D 5th Edition ruleset. These are rather different rulesets. However, I don't doubt that a good Baldur's Gate game can be made based on 5th Edition. If the reader has played Troika's ToEE (D&D 3.5), they are probably going to laugh at the simplicity of 5th Edition and BG3. It's going to be dead-easy to pick up and play (accessible to the masses).
- Baldur's Gate is built on BioWare's proprietary Infinity Engine whereas Baldur's Gate 3 is built on Larian's next-gen proprietary, Divinity 4.0.
- Baldur's Gate employs an isometric perspective that presents prerendered art assets in two dimensions ("2.5D") whereas Baldur's Gate 3 is presented in full 3D. The perspective is isometric-esque in the main, but can also be shifted to any angle.
- Baldur's Gate employs a round-based combat system whereas Baldur's Gate 3 employs a turn-based combat system.
- Baldur's Gate employs the Realmslore and writing style of the AD&D 2nd Edition body of literature whereas Baldur's Gate 3 employs D&D 5th Edition Realmslore and writing style (much more modern).
Baldur's Gate 3 Pitch
If I were writing a pitch to sell the game to myself, I would come up with something like this:
Baldur's Gate 3 will employ a turn-based combat system with its playing field presented in a top-down isometric-esque perspective in order to facilitate six-person party-based tactics. The camera will not only be rotatable and zoomable but will also allow for trucking and dollying along axes. Baldur's Gate 3 will faithfully employ the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset in so far as that is possible within the confines of a computer role-playing game. Baldur's Gate 3 will be well-rounded campaign that balances combat, exploration, questing and dialogue, just like the original Baldur's Gate.
None of us want this third installment to be a bad Baldur's Gate game or to fail. While such a franchise acquisition can conjure up nightmares of Bethesda's infamous acquisition of Fallout, the result won't be comparable to Oblivion With Guns (though odious parallels may be drawn by wizened cynics).
Baldur's Gate 3 Predictions
The predictions I made on the cRPG Blog a few years ago (before the worldwide reveal) are as follows:
- D&D 5th Edition ruleset implementation (with modifications by Larian).
- Tactical turn-based combat system. Player controls a party of combat units (marquee selection and real-time group formational movement outside of combat).
- 3D engine with rotation, zooming and trucking. Lockable to isometric-esque perspective.
- The city of Baldur's Gate is reworked and somewhat reimagined (though in keeping with the lore). It remains a quest-dense urban hub that can be explored with a certain degree of freedom.
- Overworld map complete with waylays.
- Companions are going to be fewer in number than in BG1 or even BG2 but characterizations will be more fleshed out. There will be many interjections, banters and several companion-based quests. Romances are also going to rear their head.
- The campaign is going to be more reactive to the player's build than either BG1 or BG2.
- A well-rounded campaign that balances combat, exploration, questing and dialogue, just like the original Baldur's Gate.
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