Larian’s CEO Swen Vincke didn’t make his usual armoured appearance for the announcement, unless you count his legs poking out from behind a desk. Get well soon, Swen. Larian have styled the release date announcement as a look back at Baldur’s Gate 3’s “journey so far” while it’s been in early access. It’s a bit daft, but neatly summarises how the game has evolved over the past two years. Baldur’s Gate 3 was almost lost among the fancy audience-pleasing D&D Direct announcements – hey, Spelljammer, Dragonlance and the D&D movie – but Larian have been very cool cucumbers throughout its open-ended early access period, so that’s not surprising. Larian have always insisted that Baldur’s Gate 3 would be out when they think it’s good enough to be considered ready. The game’s seventh patch added barbarians in February, and Jeremy Peel took them for a spin to vent his primal rage. “The barbarian, to whom I have devoted hundreds of words? They may never join your party, in hundreds of hours of play,” he said. “Larian is aiming for a game that is endlessly malleable, a radiant pool of options you cannot possibly see the bottom of.” Baldur’s Gate 3 will be out sometime during the twelve months of 2023 on Steam and GOG, but not the Epic Game Store at launch. Disclosure: Adam Smith, formerly of this very site, has been working away on Baldur’s Gate 3 for Larian Studios.
