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Mind Flayed
Baldur’s Gate 3 looks like it might be Larian Studios’ most ambitious game yet – and if you’ve played Divinity: Origin Sin 2, you’ll know that’s saying something. Below we’ve answered the biggest questions about the upcoming RPG, from the Baldur’s Gate 3 release date to our knowledge of the game’s setting, companions, system requirements, and more.
Or if you want a blow-by-blow of our private demo with the game, check out Baldur’s Gate 3 preview.
Baldur’s Gate 3 will enter Steam Early Access in 2020, likely in the summer.
Details are thin as to when the game will be fully released, but we do know it will eventually arrive on GOG and Stadia as well as Steam.
Below you can find the initial Baldur’s Gate 3 cinematic trailer released during E3 last year, followed by footage of Larian’s worldwide reveal of the game on the 27th February this year.
The full Baldur’s Gate 3 system requirements have not yet been released by Larian; all we have to go on so far is the game’s Steam page, which states:
- Minimum Requirements: a 64-bit processor and operating system.
- Recommended Requirements: a 64-bit processor and operating system.
I agree, it’s not very comprehensive. But Larian are sure to release full specs soon, so hang tight.
What is the setting for Baldur’s Gate 3?
- Baldur’s Gate 3 will start not far from the titular city, Baldur’s Gate.
- The opening cinematic features your entire party of characters being taken prisoner by a crew of Illithid (or Mind Flayers) aboard a giant Nautiloid.
- Larian has revealed that the Mind Flayers are using these Nautiloid vessels to travel between worlds and planes – from which we can infer that your characters’ travels may take them well beyond the Prime Material Plane (the normal everyday world).
- Baldur’s Gate 3 will be based on the rules, systems, and story beats of the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, though we may well see certain changes to said systems and stories in Larian’s adaptation of the material.
Is there a character creation system?
- Character creation in Baldur’s Gate will be very similar to the character creation system of Divinity: Original Sin 2.
- You can choose either to play as one of the preset Origin characters, or craft your own character from scratch.
- When customising your own character, you will be able to pick your race, sub-race, class, background, appearance, and more.
Who are your companions in Baldur’s Gate 3?
- Any Origin character you don’t pick to be your player character at the start will become an NPC companion in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- So far we know of five potential companions:
- Astarion, a High-Elf Rogue;
- Laezel, a Githyanki Warrior;
- Shadowheart, a Half-Elf Cleric;
- Wyll, a Human Warlock;
- and Gale, a Human Wizard.
- Each of the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 has been paired with a certain writer at Larian, to help give each one a unique voice and character.
Will Baldur’s Gate 3 be turn-based or real-time?
- Like Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur’s Gate 3 is played in real-time out of combat, but enters turn-based mode during combat.
- In turn-based mode, just like D:OS2, all character actions take a certain number of Action Points.
- You can also choose to enter turn-based mode outside of combat, for example for stealth purposes, or positioning your characters before a fight.
Will Baldur’s Gate 3 have multiplayer?
- There will be a fully featured Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer mode.
- Your skill check rolls are kept private from all those you are playing with, but you can have group discussions, during which dice will be visible.
- Turn-based combat will be simultaneous in Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer, so everyone plays their turn at the same time before the next turn begins.
How big is Baldur’s Gate 3?
- Larian have given away little information about the scope of their game, but Baldur’s Gate 3 already looks to be their most ambitious project to date.
- Our Alice Bell wrote in her preview piece for Baldur’s Gate 3 that the game “is obviously going to take dozens of hours per play through“.
That’s pretty much everything we know so far on Baldur’s Gate 3, but be sure to check back here for all the latest deets on this tremendously promising RPG!
Disclosure: Rock Paper Shotgun’s former Deputy Editor, Adam Smith, is now a senior writer for Larian and currently working on Baldur’s Gate 3.