"Baldur's Gate 3 Steam Surge Post-Patch 8: Larian Eyes Next Big Project"

Following the release of the much-anticipated Patch 8, Baldur's Gate 3 has experienced a significant surge in player numbers on Steam. This successful update has positioned developer Larian Studios well as they prepare to shift their focus to their next major project.

Patch 8, which was rolled out last week, introduced 12 new subclasses and a brand new photo mode to Baldur's Gate 3. The update's launch triggered a wave of returning players eager to explore these new features, resulting in a concurrent player peak of 169,267 over the weekend on Steam—a remarkable achievement for a single-player focused RPG in its second year. While Steam makes these figures publicly available, Sony and Microsoft keep PlayStation and Xbox player numbers private.

Reflecting on Patch 8's impact, Larian's chief, Swen Vincke, took to Twitter to express his optimism about the game's future. He noted that the player boost from Patch 8, combined with the thriving mod support, suggests that Baldur's Gate 3 will continue to perform well. This success allows Larian to concentrate on developing their next big project, with Vincke acknowledging the high expectations they must meet.

Vincke shared his satisfaction with the current state of Baldur's Gate 3, stating, "Feeling good today about where we are with BG3. Patch 8 got a lot of people playing again. It took a lot of development effort but I'm happy we did it." He further emphasized that the game's strong performance and the active modding community provide Larian with the space needed to focus on their upcoming endeavor.

Patch 8 marks the final major update for Baldur's Gate 3, concluding a period of significant achievement for Larian. Since its launch in 2023, the game has garnered critical acclaim and achieved substantial commercial success, maintaining strong sales into 2025.

In a surprising move, Larian announced their departure from the Baldur's Gate series and the Dungeons & Dragons universe to work on a new, yet-to-be-revealed game. They have since imposed a media blackout to concentrate on this mysterious project.

Meanwhile, D&D owner Hasbro has expressed interest in continuing the Baldur's Gate series. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, Hasbro's SVP of digital games, Dan Ayoub, hinted at ongoing plans for the franchise. Ayoub mentioned that with Larian moving on, "a lot of people [are] very interested in Baldur's Gate." He teased that Hasbro would soon share more about their future plans for the series, though he did not specify if this would involve a new Baldur's Gate game or another type of project, such as a crossover similar to the collaboration with Magic: The Gathering.

Ayoub expressed his desire for a Baldur's Gate 4 but acknowledged that such a project would take considerable time. He emphasized a measured approach to the franchise's future, indicating that Hasbro is exploring various possibilities and is ready to start discussing some of these plans soon.