Summary

  • Halsin was not originally designed as a romance option in Baldur's Gate 3, but fan feedback led to Larian's decision to alter his character.
  • The studio has continuously made changes to the award-winning RPG based on player feedback.

The shapeshifting Druid Halsin was not initially intended to be a romance option in Baldur's Gate 3, according to senior narrative designer Baudelaire Welch. The many romance options in Baldur's Gate 3 have been praised by many fans of the game, but the Wood Elf was not originally going to be counted among them.

Halsin is unique among the game's romance options in that he is one of two romanceable companions who are not Origin characters. Halsin made his debut during early access, being a pivotal character that players seek out throughout the first half of Act 1 in Baldur's Gate 3, and who sets the player on the path towards Moonrise Towers, leading to the second Act of the game. He immediately became a fan favorite, as he was one of the few characters in game's early access period that seemed to genuinely want to help the player. His unique physical build also made him stand out among the cast. When it was revealed in the pre-launch stream that players would be able to romance Halsin, many were understandably excited.

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As reported by GamesRadar+, however, this almost never came to be. During Develop: Brighton 2024, Baudelaire Welch, the senior narrative designer of Baldur's Gate 3, shared that Halsin was not initially meant to be a romance option. Larian Studios quickly understood that he was a favorite among early access fans, and Welch went on to state that "people will write about a good romance in fan fiction for years to come." As such, the decision was made during development to adapt Halsin into a romance option, culminating in the infamous bear sex scene that shot Baldur's Gate 3 into the spotlight not long before launch.

Halsin Was Not A Romance Option Until Later In Development

Ever since the game's official launch, Larian has developed a reputation for listening to fans of the game and making changes based on feedback. Whether adding the ability to change your appearance mid-game, adding mod support, or creating a new epilogue chapter, most major patches for Baldur's Gate 3 have brought highly requested features, so it's no surprise that Larian made such a big change based on feedback given through early access. Larian Studios was aware of the community's nickname for the Druid being "Daddy Halsin," but reworking their plans for the character to please the fanbase is impressive. Even if some consider his presence in the later sections of Baldur's Gate 3 to be underdeveloped, the character was adapted to travel alongside the player permanently based on the positive feedback he received.

Larian Studios have claimed that they are not planning on adding or adapting any more content within Baldur's Gate 3, instead turning its sights to brand-new projects alongside a new studio. When the next project arrives, fans hope that Larian will keep taking player feedback to heart as strongly as it has with Baldur's Gate 3.

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Baldur's Gate 3 Tag Page Cover Art
Baldur's Gate 3
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9 /10
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Released
August 3, 2023
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Developer(s)
Larian Studios
Publisher(s)
Larian Studios
Franchise
Baldur's Gate
Genre(s)
RPG