Baldur’s Gate III has over 800,000 concurrent playersonSteam
Baldur’s Gate III is dominating the Steam charts with record-breaking numbers, having surpassed the 800,000 concurrent player threshold on August 6. To be more specific, the peak count was 814,666, placing it as the ninth-highest ranking PC game when sorted by all-time peak variable — just below Hogwarts Legacy. It’s an incredible feat considering the game has been released for over three years, albeit in early access, allowing creator Larian Studios to slow-cook it to perfection based on player feedback. The completed version of the game was released on PC on August 3 and has shown no signs of slowing down.
While Baldur’s Gate 3’s release date may have put it in a position with no major competitors in sight, it’s been warmly received for its in-depth plot, characters, and outrageous romance options, all of which are determined by numbers and dice rolls. Simply, Dungeons & Dragons role-playing elements are filtered to appeal to a younger gaming audience weary of microtransactions, in-game purchases, and the requirement for an always-on internet connection. Even the cosmetics featured in the Deluxe Edition were given away for free to individuals who helped development by purchasing the Early Access edition. Such smooth player-to-developer communication is going to produce positive outcomes – results that have now exceeded Larian Studios’ expectations.
Late last week, Larian CEO Swen Vincke tweeted that he had urged his IT team to expect Baldur’s Gate 3 to surpass 100,000 participants. The effect, on the other hand, was astounding, with the game breaching the 500,000-player limit shortly after debut, placing it well beneath online behemoths Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2. Vincke’s main concern as it passed the 800,000 mark was ensuring there were no game-breaking bugs left in it. “God, I hope there’s no big bug left,” he stated in an interview. “I don’t want that anger to consume me, but it’s part of the risk of creating these massive RPGs.” Their previous release, Divinity: Original Sin II, which also included turn-based combat and was based on D&D, sold slightly over 93,000 players.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s sales figures are unknown for the time being, but moving the PC release date from August 31 to August 3 worked in their favor, allowing them to avoid a slew of bigwigs like Armoured Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, EA’s Immortals of Aveum, and Starfield (coming in September). The amazing thing about this achievement is that, on paper, Baldur’s Gate 3’s turn-based RPG design is something that doesn’t get adapted in mainstream gaming these days, but despite the 20-year gap, both fans and newcomers have flocked to buy it. It has such a broad and in-depth backstory that several creators have expressed concern that it will become a new norm for RPGs. This, understandably, sparked a considerable reaction. For the time being, it’s a strong Game of the Year contender, with almost as much buzz surrounding it as Elden Ring did last year.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is now available on PC. The PS5 version will be available on September 6, while the Xbox platforms may not be available until 2024.