“Baldur’s Gate 3 Poised to Redefine RPGs on an Unprecedented Scale”

Highlights

Baldur's Gate 3 aims to achieve seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op on the Xbox Series S console, a feat no other RPG of its scale has accomplished.

The release of Baldur's Gate 3 for Xbox has been postponed due to technical challenges in incorporating split-screen co-op on the Xbox Series S. The development team is dedicated to delivering a high-quality game experience and is striving to provide an update regarding the Xbox version before the year's end.

Baldur's Gate 3 aims to achieve something unprecedented in an RPG of its scale: seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op on the Xbox Series S console. Anticipation is high for Baldur's Gate 3, which is expected to be one of the biggest game releases of the year. While PC gamers can dive into the adventure later this week, console gamers will have to wait a little longer to embark on their chosen platform.

The PC release of Baldur's Gate 3 is scheduled for August 3, followed by the release on PS5 consoles on September 6. An Xbox version of the game is also in development; however, it currently lacks a release date. Although no exclusivity agreement has been announced, the delay of the Xbox version has effectively made Baldur's Gate 3 a timed-console exclusive for the PS5. Unfortunately, it appears that the delay of the Xbox Series S console has caused the delay of the Xbox version of Baldur's Gate 3.

Larian recently acknowledged the technical difficulties in implementing split-screen co-op for Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Series S. Michael Douse, on Twitter, stated that the team is working hard to achieve seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op on Series S, which has not been accomplished by any other RPG of this scale.

Feature parity between Xbox Series X and Series S is mandatory for game releases on the platform. However, this requirement has sparked controversy, with some industry critics accusing the Xbox Series S of impeding game development for this generation. Despite Larian disputing this narrative, it is evident that the Xbox Series S is the primary cause of the delay for Xbox gamers eagerly anticipating Baldur's Gate 3.

Douse expressed his intention to provide an update on the release of Baldur's Gate 3 for Xbox by the end of this year. This suggests that Xbox players may not be able to enjoy the game until at least 2024. As a result, some Xbox fans who were hoping to play the game before the end of 2023 may find this disappointing. However, it showcases the studio's dedication to ensuring the successful implementation of split-screen co-op on the Xbox Series S. Baldur's Gate 3 has exceeded expectations, generating significant hype. Only time will determine if the game lives up to this hype, but the prospects appear favorable.

Baldur's Gate 3 launches August 3 for PC with a PS5 version to follow on September 6. An Xbox version of the game is in development but currently without a release date.

Source: VGC