Despite Larian saying it wants to slow down on its work on Baldur’s Gate 3, 2023’s Game of the Year is going to receive its eighth major patch, adding even more content to an already staggeringly massive title. Patch 8 is set to add cross-play, a feature the community has wanted for a long time, a photo mode, and a whole host of subclasses to add even more variety to a playthrough. This is after Patch 7 added mod support, a modding toolkit, a bunch of evil endings, which made it one of the biggest major patches for BG3.

Larian Studios already had a winner on its hands with the release version of Baldur’s Gate 3, since the title caused quite a scene when it launched, but the Belgium-based studio has been insistent on making its biggest game even better. This is a good thing too, considering that BG3 was a little rough around the edges after its launch, largely due to Larian pushing up the release date to avoid competing with Starfield. Still, there was something so special about the launch version and the impact it had on the industry as a whole.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Is A Different Game Now

Larian Has Listened To Its Fans

BG3 has become a much richer game after all the patches. Playing it after Patch 7 and at launch are two different experiences, especially with the mod support provided by Larian. Being an avid modder, I can say that the modding experience with the in-built support compared to using Nexus and third-party mod managers is a massive improvement. As someone who is yet to drop Skyrim after thirteen years, I know first hand how an involved community can keep a game alive long past its expected expiry date, and it seems Larian understands this too.

The studio has been listening to its community with its patches, adding interesting content like all the evil endings and tweaking the game after fans requested to be able to recruit Minthara in a good campaign. This tweak was particularly good for some like me, who didn’t have the heart to be at odds with Halsin, Wyll, and the tieflings of the Druid’s Grove, but wanted the company of a lore-accurate drow. I found Minthara one of the most interesting companions in this regard, especially because her moral compass was skewed compared to the rest of the party.

Players in a good playthrough could recruit Minthara after Patch 5, although there were tweaks in Patch 6 to make this easier.

More importantly, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a more complete game now than it was at launch. It is better optimized and has a superior feeling of finality after adding the epilogue at Wither’s party. Although the endings at launch were serviceable, spending more time seeing where characters ended up after the game’s ending just felt right, especially since a campaign can be well-over a hundred hours long. There seems to be a dozen reasons to start a new playthrough, yet nothing was as special as my first campaign when the game launched.

Despite Its Problems, BG3 At Launch Was Special

BG3 Felt Like A Gaming Landmark When It Was Released

I played a lot of Divinity: Original Sin 2 before BG3 and was reasonably familiar with the studio’s work before it became a household name in 2023, but nothing could quite prepare me for how big of a step-up the game was. I had followed Larian’s work in early access and was somewhat concerned with how glitchy the cinematics elements could be; however, I was impressed with the ambition Larian displayed. I was concerned that the studio was biting off more than it could chew, but all doubts were gone the second I got off the Nautiloid.

The game had the detail and charm of Divinity: OS2 but the cinematic elements and better graphics made it come to life in a way that very few other games could achieve. Everything from the way characters were allowed to interact with the world to the way the story was told was such an evolution that it almost felt like the game was made by a different studio. The charm that Divinity and BG3 share kept them feeling distinctly Larian; however, and it was great to see how the studio hadn’t forgotten what made their games special in their evolution.

Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: OS2 both have narrators, but the narrator of BG3 originally voiced Malady in Divinity.

The launch version isn’t as good as the game after Patch 7, and Patch 8 will probably improve the game even more, but that was the version that blew everyone’s minds in 2023. Although there were some great titles in 2023, like Zelda: Tears of a Kingdom, Hogwarts Legacy, and Spider-Man 2, none really matched the scale of BG3, and in my opinion, they didn’t match the consistent quality either. Yes, Act 3 can get a little overwhelming and end anti-climatically in the launch version, but that doesn’t change how special a project BG3 is.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Updates Have Been A Great Journey

And The Community Will Continue That Journey For Years To Come

Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic.

Thanks to its community support, Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like the launch was the start of something special, rather than something that has come and gone with a bang. It is a journey that fans have been able to go on with Larian and has helped the community feel seen. I believe that this is particularly important in today’s landscape, as it often feels like many studios are out of touch and don’t know what their audience wants. This has never been an issue with Larian, as it has always made a conscious effort to listen to its fans.

While the major patches will likely stop soon to allow Larian to work on its new projects, it has ensured that BG3 can become the best version of itself, even though the launch version was already amazing, if a little messy. Although all eyes are on Patch 8 and crossplay, Patch 7 and the mod manager will likely be the reason why Baldur’s Gate 3‘s journey can continue after Larian has stopped its major updates. Nothing keeps an RPG alive like a strong and passionate modding community. Just look at Skyrim as an example.

I, for one, am more than excited about what Larian does next and hope that the journey will be as remarkable as Baldur’s Gate 3‘s.

Most studios would have been more than happy with the ground-breaking success of BG3 at launch and would have called it a day, but Larian has displayed that it strives to make the best games it can, and that attitude has endeared it to the gaming community. I, for one, am more than excited about what Larian does next and hope that the journey will be as remarkable as Baldur’s Gate 3‘s. With how good Divinity: OS2 was as well, Larian has proved that its success is repeatable, and I am excited to see another evolution for the studio.