History of Baldur's Gate 3 in Timeline
Baldur's Gate 3, developed and published by Larian Studios, is a role-playing video game released in full in 2023, with early access available from 2020. As the third main installment in the Baldur's Gate series, it's based on Dungeons & Dragons. It was initially released for Windows, then subsequently macOS, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
1998: Original Baldur's Gate Release
In 1998, the original Baldur's Gate game, developed by BioWare and Black Isle Studios, was published by Interplay Entertainment, setting the stage for the series.
2002: Neverwinter Nights Release
In 2002, Atari published Neverwinter Nights, which was developed by BioWare, further expanding the Dungeons & Dragons video game universe.
December 2003: Black Isle Studios Shutdown
In December 2003, Black Isle Studios, which had been involved in the development of the Baldur's Gate series, was shut down by Interplay, impacting the future of the franchise.
2007: Neverwinter Nights 2 Release
In 2007, Neverwinter Nights 2, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, was released, continuing the legacy of D&D-based RPGs.
2014: Larian's Initial Interest in Baldur's Gate
Around 2014, Larian Studios first approached Wizards of the Coast about making a sequel in the Baldur's Gate series after the release of Divinity: Original Sin.
September 2017: Divinity: Original Sin II Release
In September 2017, Larian Studios released Divinity: Original Sin II, which impressed Wizards of the Coast and led to further discussions about Baldur's Gate 3.
September 2019: Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus Release
In September 2019, Wizards of the Coast published the tabletop adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus, described as a "prequel" to Baldur's Gate 3.
September 2020: Early Access Release Date Announcement and Delay
In September 2020, Baldur's Gate 3 was initially set to be released in early access on 30 September 2020 before being delayed a week to 6 October.
October 2020: Early Access Release on macOS and Windows
In October 2020, a partial version of Baldur's Gate 3 was released in early access for macOS and Windows.
October 2020: macOS Version Announcement
On 5 October 2020, Larian Studios announced that Baldur's Gate 3 would be released for macOS in addition to Windows and Stadia.
January 2023: Stadia Version Cancellation
In January 2023, the version for Stadia was cancelled following the closure of the platform, impacting the game's availability on that service.
February 2023: Release Date Announcement
In February 2023, it was announced that Baldur's Gate 3 would be released for Windows, macOS, and PlayStation 5 on 31 August 2023.
August 2023: Full Release for Windows
In August 2023, Baldur's Gate 3 had its full release for Windows, marking a significant milestone in the game's development.
August 2023: Initial Release Date
In August 2023, Baldur's Gate 3 was initially set to release for Windows, macOS, and PlayStation 5 on August 31st.
December 2023: PlayStation 5 Japanese Release and Xbox Release
In December 2023, Spike Chunsoft published the PlayStation 5 version in Japan on 21 December, and an Xbox Series X and Series S version was released on 7 December, with the latter being delayed due to performance issues.
December 2023: Patch Adding New Difficulty Modes and Epilogue
In December 2023, a patch added two new difficulty modes, quality of life enhancements, and a new playable epilogue to Baldur's Gate 3.
February 2024: Sales Success
By 26 February 2024, the Director of Publishing at Larian, Michael Douse, said the game had sold "way over 10 [million] in a very short space of time".
March 2024: No DLC or Sequels Planned
In March 2024, Swen Vincke announced that Larian Studios would not be producing any DLC or sequels for Baldur's Gate 3, citing constraints and a desire to pursue other projects.
May 2024: Physical Version Release
In May 2024, a physical version of Baldur's Gate 3 was released.
November 2024: Increased Daily Active Users
In November 2024, Michael Douse revealed that the number of daily active users is up 20% over the previous year, which he attributed to the release of the official modding support.
