Baldur's Gate 3 Reveals Update 8 Stress Test Patch Notes

Summary

The Patch 8 stress test for Baldur's Gate 3 is now live for select players.
Those who signed up to take part in the test should check their emails for an invitation.
Patch 8 will add a photo mode, 12 new subclasses, cross-play, and more.

The Patch 8 stress test for Baldur's Gate 3 has been released for select players on all platforms. While the update was accidently released for PlayStation 5 players on January 27, Larian now officially welcomes fans who signed up for the test and received an email to try out a number of new features in Baldur's Gate 3, including a photo mode and new subclasses.

Released in August 2023, Baldur's Gate 3 has enjoyed monumental success, with the RPG praised by critics and players alike for its narrative, world, and characters. The title sold over 10 million copies by February 2024, with the later addition of modding support boosting the game's player count even further by the end of the same year. In July 2024, Larian's CEO Swen Vincke even noted that Baldur's Gate 3's many accolades had impacted development, forcing the company to create teams that would rotate to attend each award ceremony. Nearly a year and a half since the title's initial release, its developers are still giving players more to look forward to.

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By Shayna Josi

The Patch 8 stress test for Baldur's Gate 3 is now live for select players across Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with Larian Studios releasing a set of patch notes to share what to expect. The largest additions include a dedicated photo mode, 12 new subclasses, cross-play, and split-screen for those on Xbox Series S. Several changes to gameplay are also being made with the release of the new update, with players now able to use potions and scrolls found in their party inventory while rolling in dialogues, making it easier than ever to get the desired outcome. Thankfully, an issue causing neutral NPCs to trigger combat without reason has been addressed, and fans will now be able to see all traders on the world map, regardless of distance. While it's unclear when Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3 will be available for everyone, many predict a late Spring 2025 release.

On January 27, some Baldur's Gate 3 players on PS5 accidently gained early access to the Patch 8 stress test, with Larian Studios warning players of potential issues with their save files. The previous major update, Patch 7, was released in late 2024, adding additional cinematics for those playing as the Dark Urge, an in-game Mod Manager and modding toolkit, and revamped split-screen gameplay. While Patch 8 will reportedly be the last major update for the game, fans are pleased with how much support the development team has given to what has become one of the most beloved RPGs in recent memory.

Earlier in January, it was confirmed that Larian Studios is now fully focused on its next game, which remains unannounced. In 2024, the developer opened another studio to assist with two upcoming RPGs, with many hoping that Divinity: Original Sin 3 was one of these mysterious projects.

Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 Stress Test Patch Notes

Highlights

Photo mode
12 new subclasses
Cross-play
Xbox Series S split screen

Gameplay

When you succeed a Perception check, the spotted item will now ping on the minimap and be listed in the combat log.
Fixed an issue where the special abilities of some of your allies weren't properly provided at the end of the dialogue with them at High Hall.
Scrolls and potions inside unlocked containers in your party inventory can now be used when rolling in dialogues.
Neutral and friendly NPCs will no longer become hostile when, outside of combat, they walk into surfaces created during combat that trigger passives (like electrified surfaces triggering Thunderbolt Strike). Take it easy, lads.
Fixed Freecast being reset when any condition is applied.
Fixed characters getting stuck when pathfinding via a ladder that's already in use by another companion.
Fixed a bug with the moving platform in the Gauntlet of Shar that would sometimes leave you behind, causing you to plummet to your death.

Combat

Fixed an issue causing neutral NPCs to trigger combat for seemingly no reason.
Cerys will stop getting involved in combats with Minthara from across the region. An eager beaver no longer.

Modding

Fixed an issue causing you to get stuck at a 0% loading screen when attempting to join a multiplayer session that uses mods.
The Mod Verification window will now trigger regardless of where the request to connect to a multiplayer game is coming from.
Replaced the third-party mod warning with clearer messaging.

Performance and Options

Fixed the ruleset selector not appearing on the 'Alter Custom Mode' screen when accessing the ruleset settings via the multiplayer lobby.
Improved server performance in the Adamantine Forge.

Scripting and Flow

Fixed an issue where you could tell Astarion that Gandrel has been looking for him even if Gandrel refused to tell you the name of his prey.
Fixed a savegame issue where you wouldn't get the appropriate amount of Umbral Gems for the Gauntlet of Shar.
Minthara now comments on reveal.
Reminded Minthara that 'knocked out' does not mean 'dead', so she'll more reliably appear in Moonrise Towers.
You can no longer teleport out of Moonrise while controlling Minthara unless you tell her to stay put.
Minthara is now willing to talk to you after you tell her to wait in the torture chamber.
Minthara no longer gets stuck babysitting Thaniel in Act II.
Fixed an issue where you could talk about Art Cullagh as though he's alive even if he isn't.
Your character will no longer think Shadowheart is dead if she isn't when talking to
Characters who were in a relationship with Gale when he will now receive a tonally appropriate (read: lovey-dovey) letter.
Fixed a dialogue issue preventing Avatar Gale from talking about the orb to Lae'zel after consuming a magic item.

UI

Discovered and available (non-hostile, alive, etc.) Traders are now shown on the world map regardless of how far away you are from them.

Cinematics

Shadowheart has agreed to stop repeatedly changing her hair colour during certain intimate moments.
Tidied up and improved some cinematic animations for characters of different heights if you kiss during the evil ending.

Writing

Fixed a duplicated dialogue option and the wrong version of another dialogue option appearing in Minthara's main party dialogue.

Patch 8 will bring a multitude of fixes for various crashes and blockers, combat bugs, scripting and flow issues, and more. The full patch notes will be shared once Patch 8 goes live!

Reporting Bugs During The Stress Test

Internal playtesting has been ongoing for several weeks now, and thanks to the introduction of photo mode in Patch 8, our playtesters have discovered new means to highlight some interesting issues.While we don’t expect you to showcase every unexpected bug you run into (please, don’t do that), we would be grateful if you could report any issues you experience in the Patch 8 stress test using the existing bug reporting form. Please make sure to state “Patch 8” in the Game Version field!

Known Issues

As the Patch 8 stress test is a work-in-progress build, we’re aware of some issues, and have listed the ones relevant to the new features coming in Patch 8 below!

Modding

While it’s our hope that supported mods remain mostly unscathed with Patch 8, this stress test also helps us understand how your mods interact with the latest patch and identify any issues ahead of release.

ImpUI users may find that radial descriptions aren’t visible, and some menu options don’t work as intended. If you are joining us for the stress test, we recommend creating a new save or loading an existing save that does not use ImpUI or any mods that use ImpUI as a dependency.

Photo Mode

Photo Mode becomes visually corrupted when using Vulkan.

Cross-Play & Multiplayer

Some lines in the cross-play settings aren’t fully localised.
Players in a multiplayer lobby can lose movement input after picking up an item.

UX

Some keyboard hotkeys and controller buttons may stop working after trading with merchants.

Keep an eye out for updates during the Patch 8 stress test as we continue working on fixing these issues!

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

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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.

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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.