Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 has become a major release, bringing the CRPG genre into the mainstream and proving the potential of niche genres.
- The game's recent release for PS5 has expanded its accessibility beyond PC, and the upcoming cross-play feature will further break down barriers between consoles.
- Cross-play was always intended for Baldur's Gate 3, and while a specific release date hasn't been announced, it has the potential to greatly extend the game's longevity and appeal to players across different platforms.
Baldur's Gate 3 has become one of the biggest releases of the year, bringing the CRPG genre to the forefront after over two decades since its predecessor. Larian Studios has proven that even one of the most niche genres is capable of being propelled into the mainstream given the proper amount of care and effort, something that has paid off massively for the developer of the Divinity: Original Sin games. Now a multi-platform title, the future of Baldur’s Gate 3’s reach is looking brighter than ever with recent news regarding a major upcoming feature.
In bringing a CRPG to a wider audience, Baldur's Gate 3 has more recently made an even bigger step towards being accessible for most gamers. With its successful release for PS5 earlier this month, the game has managed to cement itself as a landmark title outside the typical PC space of the genre. Now that Larian has officially announced that cross-play will be arriving in the future, fans of the game are looking forward to the barriers between consoles disappearing for its multiplayer.
Baldur's Gate 3's Platforms and Co-op
The Baldur's Gate series and CRPGs as a whole have always been inherently single-player-focused experiences, but Baldur's Gate 3's co-op has somehow managed to introduce the formula in a surprisingly well-implemented manner. Enjoyed by many of the game's players, multiplayer is available in both online and classic split-screen formats. It may have been an experimental endeavor considering the title’s heavy focus on dialogue options, but co-op’s flexible nature has made it a more than welcome edition.
The PS5 edition of Baldur's Gate 3 has become a strong boon to the console for many PlayStation fans, but there are still plans to bring it to Xbox Series X/S later this year. A Mac version is also launching later this month, making Baldur’s Gate 3 an increasingly accessible experience despite the series’ traditionally large PC following. Despite it being available for multiple systems, however, the only compatibility Baldur's Gate 3 shares between them is cross-saves. Players are currently unable to join a friend's game from an entirely different console, but this is set to change in a future update.
Cross-Play Was Always Planned for Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3’s updates have already included some huge changes and welcome additions to the game, but one of its biggest is still yet to come. Larian’s director of publishing confirmed in an interview with Eurogamer that not only was cross-play always intended to be a feature, but it is actually in the pipeline for the future. Likely to be at least a somewhat intensive undertaking, it makes sense that the studio seems to currently be focused on improving performance and addressing bugs that affect the fundamental gameplay. While there is no set date for the release of cross-play functionality for Baldur’s Gate 3, players can likely expect it to arrive sometime after the game’s release for Xbox.
Already one of the most memorable titles in recent years for many fans, the longevity of Baldur's Gate 3 could be extended significantly if players become able to adventure with each other regardless of platform. Once sessions can be joined across console and computer alike, Baldur's Gate 3 has the potential to transcend its existing status. There may not be a timeframe for the cross-play update yet, but Larian Studios is sure to keep the game supported with important updates that could even see the addition of new content in the meantime.
Baldur's Gate 3 is out now for PC and PS5 with an Xbox Series X/S version in development.
