Larian Studios Confirms Cross-Play for Baldur’s Gate 3
Larian Studios, the developer behind the critically acclaimed RPG Baldur’s Gate 3, has confirmed plans to implement cross-play functionality. This exciting news means players on PC, PlayStation 5, and, at a later point, Xbox consoles will be able to team up and play together in online multiplayer. The feature is currently on the roadmap, with a “loose timeframe” for its arrival, indicating that it was a planned aspect from the game’s early stages. Director of Publishing, Michael Douse, clarified that cross-play wasn’t intended for launch but would be rolled out at a future date, once all logistical concerns were addressed.
Play With Your Friends Without Concern
The current Baldur’s Gate 3 setup, while offering LAN multiplayer and up to four-player co-op, presents a challenge for players wanting to team up with friends across different platforms. Split-screen co-op on PlayStation 5 and PC is available, but saves can’t be seamlessly transferred between them. The game is also affected by performance limitations on PlayStation 5, where split-screen forces the game to run in Quality Visual Mode (at 30 FPS) instead of the smoother Performance Mode (at 60 FPS). The upcoming Xbox version further complicates matters, as the functionality for split-screen will not be present. Ideally, players would have the freedom to partner up and play alongside each other, irrespective of the platforms they are using.
Great News for Baldur’s Gate 3 Players
While cross-play is a welcome addition, the game already offers cross-platform progression. Existing saves made on PC can be seamlessly transferred to PlayStation 5 consoles, and vice-versa. This seamless transition ensures that players won’t lose their progress as they move between platforms. Creating a Larian account is essential for accessing cross-platform progression and participating in ongoing Twitch drops. This news is particularly significant following the announcement that the Xbox Series X version of the game would not feature split-screen co-op due to hardware limitations. The fact that Larian Studios is still aiming for a 2023 release on the Xbox platform shows their commitment to bringing the rich Baldur’s Gate 3 experience to a wider audience, cross-play in hand.
In summary, the confirmation of cross-play for Baldur’s Gate 3 represents a significant step forward in fostering a more inclusive and collaborative gaming experience for fans on various platforms. It resolves a major pain point for co-op players, providing the much-desired ability for friends to play together across different consoles.
Leave a Reply