Good news: Baldur's Gate 3 is releasing early on PC

Baldur's Gate 3
(Image credit: Larian Studios)

What you need to know

  • Larian Studios' highly anticipated Baldur's Gate 3 is a sequel to previous entries in the beloved RPG series, and will likely be one of the best games of 2023.
  • According to a new report, Larian Studios has confirmed that Baldur's Gate 3's release date on PC has moved up from August 31 to August 3. On PS5, it's been moved back slightly from August 31 to September 6.
  • This means that PC players will be able to play the game a month earlier than originally thought, and that the game is only a little over a month away from launch.
  • An Xbox version of Baldur's Gate 3 is in the works, but Larian hasn't officially announced it due to technical issues it's trying to work out with additional development.

Larian Studios has confirmed that Baldur's Gate 3 — a long-awaited and highly anticipated follow-up to the legendary franchise's previous entries — is getting an early release on Windows PC, according to a new report.

"Usually I'm reporting on delays, so it's fun to be able to share that the highly anticipated RPG Baldur's Gate 3 is moving *forward*, from August 31 to August 3, according to developer Larian — giving it some space from Starfield," wrote Bloomberg's Jason Schreier on Twitter. "At least on PC; [the] PS5 version is now [releasing on] September 6," he continued.

"I can assure you it is true," added Schreier in an additional Tweet in the thread.

This means that PC players will have access to the full Baldur's Gate 3 experience almost a full month early, and that the game's scheduled launch on Steam is only a little over a month away. PS5 players, on the other hand, will have to wait a few extra days until September 6 to play.

Overall, this is great news for RPG fans on PC, but sadly, there's not an update for Xbox players hoping to enjoy Baldur's Gate 3 on their console. Earlier this year, Larian offered an update about the Xbox version of the game, confirming that it's in development but that the studio has run into numerous technical issues that have delayed its announcement and release.

"We are still working on an Xbox version of BG3, but we’re not yet confident enough to announce it. We don’t like announcing anything until we’re ready, because we don’t want to get peoples hopes up until we’re sure we can deliver," wrote Larian on Reddit at the time. "There’s no platform exclusivity preventing us from releasing BG3 on Xbox day and date, should that be a technical possibility. If and when we do announce further platforms, we want to make sure each version lives up to our standards & expectations. Thanks for understanding!"

Larian has announced that it's holding a special Panel from Hell: Release Showcase on July 7 at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET. Fans can expect to "explore the breadth & depth of Baldur’s Gate 3, as you’ve never seen it before" during the stream, which will be available to watch on Twitch, YouTube, and the Steam desktop client.

The Early Access version of Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on Steam for $60. So far, the game has been highly praised by fans and critics alike, and the full experience is poised to  become one of the best PC games when it launches later this year.

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Steam Gift Card | Starting at $20

A Steam Gift Card allows the recipient to purchase games from a massive storefront library, including titles like Baldur's Gate 3. Games can be redeemed on PC, Mac, or Linux. There are different amounts available such as $20, $30, and $50 gift cards.

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Baldur's Gate 3 (PC)

Baldur's Gate 3 is an epic CRPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. Take control of highly customizable heroes in a dark and dangerous world in the sequel, which is available now in Early Access on Steam and is coming fully to PC and PS5 later this year. An Xbox version is in the works, too.

See at: Steam

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. You'll find him doing reviews, editorials, and general coverage on everything Xbox and PC. Follow him on Twitter.