Baldur's Gate 3 FAQ

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(I'm going to update this thread with relevant BG3 info as it becomes available, but anyone is free to add any new information as a reply to the thread and we'll incorporate it into the first post if the info is not already there.)

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently in development by Larian Studios.

What is Baldur's Gate 3 going to be about?

Baldur's Gate 3 is a kind of sequel to Wizards of the Coast's upcoming Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus tabletop module, set over 100 years after the original series. The story involves a terrifying illithid (mind flayer) invasion. Descent Into Avernus is complementary to the story of Baldur's Gate 3, but BG3 is very much its own story, "the next chapter of what happens to the city".

BG3 builds on the material and storylines from Baldur's Gate (1997) and Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn (2000). Murder in Baldur's Gate, a 5E D&D playtest module, is the launching point for Larian's story, and the events in that adventure result in Bhaal, the God of Murder, returning. You do not play as the main character from Baldur Gate's 2, and Larian and WotC aren't saying if you're a Bhaalspawn or not.

What is the city of Baldur's Gate like in Descent Into Avernus?

Baldur's Gate city is described "kinda like the Sword Coast's Gotham City":



What period is Baldur's Gate 3 set in?

Baldur's Gate 3 takes place a century after the events of Shadows of Amn. It is set after The Sundering, an event in Faerun that involved the gods, their followers, and the ushering in of a new D&D edition (as the Time of Troubles did in 2E, setting up part of the Baldur's Gate story in the first place, and 4E's Spellplague).

Are we going to be able to visit the city of Baldur's Gate in Baldur's Gate 3?

The game actually starts outside the city of Baldur's Gate, and the city does feature in it. An important feature of Baldur's Gate city is the disparity between rich and poor, the Upper City, Lower City, and Outer City (it's long outgrown its walls and sprawls outside them), places that thieves and cutthroats run. "It's a hard-line divide. You can't get into the Upper City unless you live there or have a token that lets you stay there, and when night falls, then you’re thrown out," Perkins said on Dragon Talk. Vincke said that you'll see this in the game and while it's not the focus of the entire storyline, this divide between rich and poor is clearly in it.

The fact that the game will feature "an awesome quest involving Baldur's Mouth" has also been revealed.

Are any of the Baldur's Gate 2 companions going to be making a comeback in Baldur's Gate 3?

Vincke and Mearls wouldn't confirm if Minsc or any of the other companions are in Baldur's Gate 3.

What is the official pitch?

Developed by the creators of Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur's Gate III is the official next adventure in the venerable Baldur's Gate series. The teaser trailer shows a return of a malevolent presence to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out, corrupting everything that remains in the Forgotten Realms. The fate of the Forgotten Realms lies in your hands.



Steam version: An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerun lies in your hands. Alone, you may resist. But together, you can overcome.

What exactly is happening in the pitch video above?

In the trailer, in the wake of a bloody battle, a member of the Flaming Fist mercenary corps (they keep order in the city of Baldur's Gate) undergoes a transformation. The illithids reproduce via ceremorphosis, in which they implant a tadpole into the eye a humanoid. The tadpole feeds off the host, and once it matures, the host is overwhelmed and transformed into a mind flayer.

As the video ends, very briefly a whole army of illithid can be seen in the sky, alongside the huge silhouette of a Nautiloid, a craft for navigating the Astral Plane.

What is the status of Bhaal and the Bhaalspawn in BG3?

Bhaal is central to the Baldur's Gates games. He's one of the Dead Three, a trio of evil gods who died in the Time of Troubles (the event that brings the gods to the Forgotten Realms to walk Faerûn as mortal avatars), but he planted the seeds of his return in the Bhaalspawn, mortals who carry portions of his divinity. With The Sundering, he (and other dead gods) have returned.

"Definitely in Murder in Baldur’s Gate, Bhaal makes his influence known in the activities of the Bhaalspawn. The next chapter for the Dead Three and those gods, within Descent to Avernus, the next tabletop campaign that's coming out — releases in September (2019) — we'll show you some more of how that cult has evolved and how — maybe you'll see a bit of where it might be going. But that'll depend on what we have to reveal and when. The next step to look at is the tabletop campaign."

Priests of Bhaal do get spells in D&D now. "Bhaal is listed in the Player's Handbook. We know there are deities that are still exerting influence. You could argue that you don't necessarily need a deity to cast divine spells. There are all sorts of shenanigans you can get into," Mearls said. "There are gods who have faded, who are making a comeback."

Is the game going to be an isometric RPG as its Infinity Engine predecessors?

Currently unknown.

Who is going to be publishing Baldur's Gate 3?

The key thing about Baldur's Gate 3 is that it is self-published. There will be no Kickstarter - although Larian absolutely wants community involvement - and no publisher. Larian is calling the shots.

Which engine will Baldur's Gate 3 be using?

The game's engine will not be the same as that used for the Divinity: Original Sin series, but it is Larian's own engine. It's built on the technology that Larian already has.

Which D&D ruleset will Baldur's Gate 3 be using?

The ruleset will be based on 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, but with "adaptations".

Which platforms is Baldur's Gate going to be released for?

Currently confirmed releases are PC and Google's cloud gaming service, Stadia.

When is Baldur's Gate 3 going to be released?

Baldur's Gate 3 has been in development since 2017. The release date has not been revealed yet, i.e. "when it's ready".

Is Baldur's Gate 3 going to be single-player only?

Baldur's Gate 3 will be a single-player and multiplayer game.

Can I pre-order Baldur's Gate 3?

Yes; on GOG.com or Steam.

Are there more videos about Baldur's Gate 3?

Sure:




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Stay tuned for frequent updates of this thread!

 

FAQ updated.

 

Official press release (posting separately as it contains no new info and is rather long):

Larian Studios Announces Baldur’s Gate III
06/06/2019

Developed and published in-house by the creators of critically acclaimed Divinity: Original Sin 2.

Larian Studios is proud to announce that they are developing and publishing Baldur’s Gate III on PC and Google Stadia. Created in close collaboration with the Dungeons & Dragons team at Wizards of the Coast, Baldur’s Gate III is based off current D&D mechanics and spells, and is the official new chapter in the legendary series.

Baldur’s Gate III will push the boundaries of the RPG genre and offer a rich narrative with unparalleled player freedom, high-stakes decisions, unique companion characters, and memorable combat. It is Larian Studios’ biggest production ever and will be playable together with friends or as a single-player adventure.

The teaser trailer shows a return of a malevolent presence to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out, corrupting everything that remains in the Forgotten Realms.

Alone you may resist, but together you can overcome. Gather your party.



“Baldur's Gate means so much to so many people. It's a great responsibility but I think we're ready for it,” said Swen Vincke, Creative Director at Larian Studios. “We're all about creating reactive, systemic worlds that respect player agency and having a chance to apply our team's skillset in a universe as rich as Dungeons & Dragons is a lot of fun. We're working very closely with Wizards to bring an unprecedented level of immersion to the realm of Faerûn and I can't wait to show the world what our team cooked up."

“Partnering with Larian, a studio that combines a remarkable history of critically-acclaimed titles with a genuine passion for one of the most iconic locations in Dungeons & Dragons, has been a terrific experience,” said Chris Cocks, President of Wizards of the Coast. “We believe fans of the Baldur’s Gate saga—and even those new to the series—will be thrilled to step into this epic story.”

Larian Studios plans to work closely with the global community to bring the coveted series to life, with more news to follow over the course of the year.

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About Larian Studios

Larian Studios is an independent RPG developer founded in 1996 in Ghent, Belgium. Over 200 people work between the four worldwide studios in Ghent, St Petersburg, Quebec and Dublin. Larian is best known for the Divinity universe, which they introduced to the world with Divine Divinity in 2002. In 2014, Larian launched Divinity: Original Sin, a classic CRPG that won over 150 awards and nominations. The company released its critically acclaimed sequel Divinity: Original Sin 2 on September 14, 2017, followed by the Definitive Edition in August 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to a 93 Metacritic rating. Divinity: Original Sin 2 won a Bafta for Best Multiplayer Game.

• Website: larian.com
• Website: baldursgate3.game
• Facebook: @LarianStudios
• YouTube: @LarianStudios
• Twitter: @LarianStudios

(Source)

 

This supposed BG3 theme music has been making the rounds on the forums, but I can't find the source and it's been posted by some random YouTube user, so I'm not sure whether it's legit or not. Anyone have any more info on this?

 

Yes, yes, yes and yes again.

 

I seriously wonder how that's going to work.

 

The concept is definitely interesting, but I'll need to see if the execution delivers.