At last, epic role-playing game Baldur's Gate 3 is getting split-screen support on Xbox Series S, the developers at Larian Studios revealed on Tuesday. This feature is coming to Xbox as part of the comprehensive update in Patch 8, which also features numerous bug fixes and general improvements.
Baldur's Gate 3 launched on Xbox Series X|S consoles in December 2023, coming a few months after the game's prior arrival on Windows PC and PlayStation 5. At the time, Larian Studios shipped the game's split-screen feature on Xbox Series X, but not Xbox Series S, meaning players on Microsoft's lower-end console couldn't access local co-op, though naturally, online co-op wasn't changed.
Split-screen and cross-play ready for testing
When we did our Baldur's Gate 3 review for PC, we talked about how fun this game is to play with friends due to the level of spontaneity it provides and its wonderful replay value. We've been looking forward to this feature being available on Xbox Series S.
Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 is a big one, as it's also bringing the long-awaited cross-play feature, allowing players across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5 to party up and play together with friends no matter what device they're using to access Faerûn. The patch is also introducing 12 new subclasses, allowing players to radically change how they're playing over a year after their adventures might've first began.
If all that somehow wasn't enough, Patch 8 is also introducing a Photo Mode, meaning players can carefully spend hours taking cool pictures of their Tavs, Dark Urges, and assorted pookies.
Right now, you can check out Patch 8 on Xbox consoles ahead of its full release by participating in the Stress Test. In order to take part, you'll need to be a member of the Xbox Insider Program, and you'll also need actually own Baldur's Gate 3. From there, just open the Xbox Insider Hub, go to the Previews section, find Baldur's Gate 3, and join in!
To test cross-play once you're in, make sure to navigate to the Multiplayer tab from the main menu, then select Cross-Play. You can join a friend's lobby, or set up your own.
As a reminder, this is a test meant to find issues, so if you run into any new problems while you're playing with everything Patch 8 has to offer, Larian Studios is asking that report these problems using the official bug report tool.
