The final major patch for Baldur’s Gate 3 has been eagerly awaited, and now fans have a release date to mark on their calendars. Read on to discover what's in store with the game's concluding update and what lies ahead for the franchise.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Final Content Update
Patch 8 Coming This April 15
Baldur’s Gate 3's (BG3) long-awaited last major update, Patch 8, is set to release on April 15. Larian Studios, the game's developer, made the announcement via a Twitter (X) post on April 11. Alongside the patch release, Senior Systems Designer Ross Stephens will detail the new features in a Twitch stream on April 16 at 1:00 UTC. You can find the stream schedule for your region below:
Patch 8 Content
Larian Studios first hinted at this update in a Steam blog post in November 2024, teasing a range of exciting additions. Patch 8 will introduce 12 new subclasses, a much-anticipated photo mode, and more. Despite being the final major update, Larian Studios remains committed to supporting the modding community, promising further enhancements to allow players to craft their own narratives.
According to the post, fans can expect "new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight with written reactivity for Oathbreakers, along with a touch of homebrewing on certain actions to enhance your role-playing experience." The patch will also include a Photo Mode, offering players a variety of options such as camera settings, lens settings, scene settings, post-processing effects, frames, and stickers to capture memorable in-game moments.
Larian Studios Leaves the Dungeons and Dragons Universe
Following Patch 8, Larian Studios will bid farewell to the Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) universe to embark on new projects. At the 2024 Game Developers Conference, Larian Studios' Founder and CEO Swen Vicke announced that they would not be developing any DLC or expansions for Baldur's Gate 3, nor would they be creating Baldur's Gate 4. Vicke stated, "Baldur's Gate will always have a warm spot in our heart. We'll forever be proud of it, but we're not gonna continue in it. We're not gonna make new expansions, which everybody is expecting us to do. We're not gonna make Baldur's Gate 4, which everyone is expecting us to do. We're gonna move on - we're gonna move away from D&D and start making a new thing."
However, the future of the Baldur’s Gate series remains bright. D&D owner Wizards of the Coast is committed to continuing the franchise. In an April 2024 interview with PC Gamer, Eugene Evans, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy and Licensing at Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, confirmed ongoing discussions with potential partners about the franchise's future. Evans noted, "So we certainly hope that it's not another 25 years, as it was from Baldur's Gate 2 to 3, before we answer that. But we're going to take our time and find the right partner, the right approach, and the right product that could represent the future of Baldur’s Gate. We take that very, very seriously, as we do with all of our decisions around our portfolio. We don't rush into decisions as to who to partner with on products or what products we should be considering."
Although Larian Studios will no longer be involved with the Baldur’s Gate series, fans can rest assured that the beloved franchise will continue. Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check out our article below!
