Baldur’s Gate 3's release date is now well within reach. After a hefty stint in Early Access, players will soon get their hands on the full version. Depending on what platform you play on, however, you'll be looking at a different launch day.
From what's been shown off so far, Baldur's Gate 3 is likely to be one of the best RPGs released this year, with tons of customization options, hundreds of hours of gameplay, and even characters to romance. Depending on how you want to play, it's possible to carve out your own adventure in Baldur's Gate 3, be that as a hero, or as a morally grey anti-hero.
Now that the Baldur's Gate 3 release date is just around the corner, here's everything you need to know about the game before launch. This includes a look at the latest gameplay, trailers and more.
Baldur’s Gate 3: cut to the chase
- What is it? A fantasy CRPG set in the world of Dungeons and Dragons
- When does it come out? August 3, 2023 (PC), September 6, 2023 (PS5), Xbox (TBC)
- What can I play it on? PC and PS5, Xbox to follow
Baldur's Gate 3 release date and platforms
Baldur’s Gate 3's will release on August 3, 2023, for PC, having been moved up slightly recently. The PS5 version of the game has been delayed, however, and will now launch on September 6. An Xbox version is confirmed to still be on the cards, but will launch at an unspecified later date. The game is currently available in Early Access on Steam.
In terms of the Xbox version, things are a little bit more complicated. In a statement to IGN, 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
The most recent trailer for Balder's Gate 3 was showcased at Summer Game Fest, serving as the introduction to Jason Isaac's character and offering slightly more insight into the dynamics between characters alongside some behind-the-scenes footage. Although it's not directly a game trailer, there's still enough to satisfy the silence since we haven't had much since February.
More trailers
At State of Play February 2023, we received two minutes of delicious visuals and were 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 offered us what looks to be the final battle between the band of heroes against the antagonist, Ketheric. You can watch the full trailer below.
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.
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
Is Baldur's Gate 3 turn-based?
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.
Is Baldur's Gate 3 online only?
Yes and no. Baldur's Gate 3 will be online only if you wish to play with your friends together - naturally - but you don't have to be online all the time to play either single player (PC or PS5), or splitscreen on PS5!
Baldur's Gate 3 news
Baldur's Gate 3 features a "tender, consensual romance" with a grizzly bear
Yes, you read that correctly. During the recent Panel From Hell event, a lead writer at Larian reveals that players will be able to engage in a sex scene with a Druid in bear-form. Make of that what you will.
Larian comments on delayed Xbox version
In an interview with IGN, the developers of Baldur's Gate 3 have shared some specific as to why the Xbox version of the game is taking longer than planned. In the interview, Larian boss Swen Vincke explained that the team was having trouble hitting the Xbox-imposed policy that requires parity between Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions of a game.
Jason Isaacs announced to join the cast as an imposing figure
Revealed at Summer Game Fest, Jason Isaacs will voice Lord Envor Gortash, a menacing portrayal of villainy and one of Baldur's Gate 3's central antagonists. As no stranger to villainous roles, Isaacs has stated that there has been a lot of fun in curating new ways to make the character more dislikable as a slight insight into what to expect from his character.
JK Simmons to play one of the game's main villains
As revealed in a Steam blog post for Baldur's Gate 3, JK Simmons will be voicing General Ketheric Thorm, a seemingly invincible necromancer leading an army of the dead toward the city of Baldur’s Gate.
That's everything you need to know about Baldur's Gate 3. For more on the best games coming out this year, be sure to visit our upcoming games release dates calendar for 2023 and beyond.
