Baldur's Gate 3 surges on Steam as Larian pivots

Baldur’s Gate 3 has experienced a notable resurgence on Steam after the launch of the highly anticipated Patch 8, positioning developer Larian Studios to shift focus toward its next major project.

The game-changing Patch 8 introduced 12 new subclasses alongside a fresh photo mode last week, prompting a wave of returning players eager to explore these additions. On Steam alone, Baldur’s Gate 3 achieved a peak concurrent player count of 169,267 over the weekend—an impressive milestone for a story-driven RPG in its second year. PlayStation and Xbox player counts remain undisclosed as console platforms don’t share such data.

Reflecting on Patch 8's success, Larian CEO Swen Vincke shared optimism about the game's longevity, crediting both the recent update and the strong modding community. "This gives us breathing room to focus on our next ambitious project," he noted while admitting the challenge ahead: "We've got big shoes to fill."

With Patch 8 marking the final major update, Larian closes an extraordinary chapter for Baldur's Gate 3—a game that achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success since its 2023 launch, maintaining strong sales through 2024-2025. The studio previously surprised fans by confirming its departure from Dungeons & Dragons to pursue an original upcoming project.

Meanwhile, D&D owner Hasbro has hinted at future plans for the franchise. Dan Ayoub, Hasbro’s SVP of digital games, revealed during GDC that multiple parties have expressed interest in continuing Baldur's Gate. "We're evaluating our next steps," Ayoub stated, promising announcements in the near future while tempering expectations for Baldur's Gate 4: "We'll take a measured approach—these things take time."