Baldur's Gate 3 Surges on Steam Post-Patch 8, Larian Eyes Next Big Project

Baldur’s Gate 3 has experienced a significant surge in player numbers on Steam following the release of the highly anticipated Patch 8. This update has positioned developer Larian Studios well as they shift their focus to their next major project.

Patch 8, a massive and game-changing update, was released last week, introducing 12 new subclasses to Baldur's Gate 3. The update also included a brand new photo mode, which contributed to a surge in player interest as fans eagerly tested these new features.

Over the weekend, Baldur’s Gate 3 achieved a concurrent player peak of 169,267 on Steam, a remarkable achievement for a single-player focused role-playing game in its second year. While Sony and Microsoft do not disclose player numbers for PlayStation and Xbox, the Steam figures alone highlight the game's enduring popularity.

Reflecting on Patch 8's impact, Larian's chief Swen Vincke took to Twitter to express his optimism about the game's future. He credited not only the player boost from Patch 8 but also the thriving mod support for ensuring continued success. This, Vincke noted, allows Larian to concentrate on making their next big project as exceptional as possible. "We’ve got big shoes to fill," he added, acknowledging the high expectations following Baldur’s Gate 3's success.

Vincke shared his satisfaction with the game's current state, stating, "Feeling good today about where we are with BG3. Patch 8 got a lot of people playing again. It took a lot of development effort but I'm happy we did it." He further emphasized that the thriving mod support would keep the game popular for the foreseeable future, freeing up resources to focus on their new project.

Patch 8 marks the final major update for Baldur’s Gate 3, concluding an impressive chapter for Larian. Since its launch in 2023, the game has received critical acclaim and achieved tremendous commercial success, continuing to sell well into 2024 and 2025.

Larian surprised the gaming community by announcing their departure from Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Dungeons & Dragons universe to work on a new, mysterious game. They had teased this new project before implementing a media blackout to concentrate their efforts.

Meanwhile, D&D's owner, Hasbro, has hinted at plans to continue the Baldur’s Gate series. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, Dan Ayoub, SVP of digital games at Hasbro, revealed that with Larian moving on, there is significant interest in the franchise. "We're kind of working out our plans for the future and what we're going to be doing with that," Ayoub stated, promising more details soon.

Ayoub did not specify whether these plans involve a new Baldur's Gate game or another type of project, such as a crossover with other franchises like Magic: The Gathering. However, he expressed a desire for a Baldur's Gate 4, acknowledging that developing such a game would be a long-term endeavor. "It's somewhat of an unenviable position," he remarked, emphasizing a measured approach to future developments. "We're going to take a very measured approach... We've got a lot of plans, a lot of different ways to go about it."