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Baldur's Gate 3 2023
Baldur's Gate 3 is a role-playing video game developed by Larian Studios. It serves as the third entry in the Baldur's Gate franchise. The full Windows version was launched on August 3, 2023, followed by releases for PlayStation 5, macOS, and Xbox Series X/S within the same year. Players navigate through a story where their party attempts to heal from Illithid parasites that have taken hold of their minds. The game supports both solo and multiplayer modes.
Based on the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate 3 uses mechanics and the Forgotten Realms setting drawn directly from the tabletop version. Players build a personalized character and go on adventures alongside a team of voiced allies. Alternatively, one can choose to play as an ally instead. Gameplay includes real-time exploration across expansive regions, turn-based battles, and decisions that shape both the party's journey and the broader world. Combat results, conversation options, and environmental interactions are typically decided by rolling a 20-sided die.
The earlier Baldur's Gate (1998) and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) were created by BioWare. A third title, titled The Black Hound and made by Black Isle Studios, was canceled in 2003 due to a licensing conflict. When Wizards of the Coast, the owner of Dungeons & Dragons, rejected Larian’s first proposal after Divinity: Original Sin (2014) came out, they were initially unwilling to proceed. However, impressed with early content from Divinity: Original Sin II (2017), Wizards agreed to fund Larian's project and gave approval for development. During the six-year build process, Larian expanded significantly. In August 2020, they launched the game’s first act via early access, gathering player input and generating income. Once the full version released, Larian continued offering free updates until the final patch in April 2025.
Baldur's Gate 3 earned widespread critical praise and achieved unprecedented award recognition. Critics commended its cinematic graphics, storytelling, production values, and acting. It became the first game to win Game of the Year at all five major video game award shows and was similarly honored by numerous publications. The title proved both commercially and critically successful, delivering strong profits for Larian Studios and Hasbro, its parent company, and is often considered among the finest video games ever created.
Crew
- Director
- Swen Vincke
- Artist
- Joachim Vleminckx
- Writer
- Adam Smith, Chrystal Ding, Sarah Baylus
- Producer
- David Walgrave
- Music
- Borislav Slavov
Details
- Developer
- Larian Studios
- Publisher
- Larian Studios
- Platforms
- Windows, PlayStation 5, macOS, Xbox Series X/S, Linux
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Engine
- Divinity Engine
- Series
- Baldur's Gate
