In the wake of its victories at the BAFTA Games Awards, Larian Studios has shared details on the next major patch for Baldur’s Gate 3. With how substantial Patch 7 will be, though, Larian plans to run a PC-only beta so players can test it out.
Patch 7 promises to add a lot to Baldur’s Gate 3. Aside from the usual round of bug fixes, like missing narrator lines, it will include improved evil endings for all those villainous playthroughs (complete with new cutscenes) as well as official modding tools. People have been modding the game anyway since launch (and there’s a surplus of fantastic mods out there), but with official support from Larian, console owners could finally get to partake in such mods down the line too.
As such, Larian wants people to playtest the patch with a closed beta for PC owners. It hasn’t said when said beta will be available or how players can participate, but it will talk about it more in the coming weeks. While Larian has never held betas for previous post-launch patches before, it’s perhaps not too surprising to see it turn to its audience for help with Patch 7. After all, Baldur’s Gate 3 was in Early Access for almost three years, so Larian could receive first-hand feedback from players and improve it before its full launch.
As for what’s beyond Patch 7, Larian promises cross-play functionality and a photo mode, as well as continued bug fixes, performance enhancements, and stability improvements. In its Steam news post, though, it makes it abundantly clear that it has no intention of making DLC expansions or a sequel: “After six years in the Forgotten Realms and much discussion and rumination, we’ve decided to seize this opportunity to develop our own IPs. We’re currently working on two new projects and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future has in store.”
This means any Baldur’s Gate 4 will be helmed by another studio, but Larian’s work on Baldur’s Gate 3 has no doubt earned it some die-hard fans who will be there, day one, for whatever it releases next. The game has been a commercial and critical success, winning multiple Game of the Year awards. At the BAFTAs alone, it won Game of the Year alongside awards for Music and Narrative.
