Summary
- Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 will introduce crossplay, Photo Mode, and 12 new subclasses.
- Larian Studios seems to be largely moving on from Baldur's Gate 3 after Patch 8.
- Players can soon sign up for a Patch 8 stress test in early January to try out the new features before the official release in 2025.
Larian Studios has revealed all the significant new features coming to Baldur's Gate 3 in the upcoming Patch 8. This Baldur's Gate 3 update is set to add some of the community's most requested features to the popular RPG.
Larian released Patch 7 for Baldur's Gate 3 on PC back in September, with it arriving on consoles a month later. This huge update added new cinematics for the game's evil endings, an in-game mod manager, and big improvements to split-screen play. The big patches have made Baldur's Gate 3 a much better game than it was on launch, and it was already pretty incredible. It's a credit to Larian as a developer, that even with its enormous success, it has still looked to make Baldur's Gate 3 the best possible game it can be.
In an official blog post, Larian detailed all the new features coming in Patch 8. The first major addition is Baldur's Gate 3 crossplay, allowing players on all platforms to continue their adventure across Faerûn together using the Larian Network. Photo Mode is coming, too, featuring tons of lens settings, post-processing options, and toggleable NPCs so that gamers can get the perfect shot. There will even be frames, stickers, and poses, giving players tons of customization in Baldur's Gate 3's Photo Mode.
Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 is Adding New Subclasses, Crossplay, and Photo Mode
The big surprise here is the addition of 12 new Baldur's Gate 3 subclasses - one for each class. According to Larian, this will come with "new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines," making this quite a substantial addition. Particular highlights include the Wizard's Bladesinging and the Monk's Drunken Master subclasses. Larian has confirmed that Patch 8 will be arriving at some point in 2025, although no date has been locked in yet. Players will soon have the opportunity to sign up for a Patch 8 stress test, which will be taking place in early January.
In the update, Larian confirmed it plans to "bid Faerûn adieu in search of stranger shores" after the release of Patch 8. Given the studio revealed its plans to move on from Baldur's Gate 3 a long time ago, it doesn't come as a surprise, but it's still sad to see. Photo Mode and Crossplay were the two major features it had been touting for a while now, so it makes sense that the studio would be done once it had released them. The good news is that thanks to the release of the game's official modding tools, Baldur's Gate 3 will still be getting new community-made content for many years to come.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCE
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.
A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPIC
Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian's next-generation RPG engine.
- Cross Save
- Full cross-platform progression.
- Franchise
- Baldur's Gate
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical Only
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 100+ Hours
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 Players
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
