Baldur’s Gate 3 will release on Steam Early Access sometime in 2020, according to a representative from Hasbro at this year’s Toy Fair event.
The announcement was first reported by Dark Side of Gaming over the weekend. Now, this isn’t a new concept from Larian Studios as the developer has launched previous games early to test them out before their official release. The studios’ other role-playing game, Divinity: Original Sin 2, released as early access back in 2016. However, it wasn’t until nearly a year later that the sequel officially launched for the PC.
Larian Studios will be showing the first live gameplay of Baldur’s Gate 3 during PAX East on February 27.
Baldur’s Gate 3 was announced at E3 2019 and featured a gruesome trailer featuring one of Dungeons and Dragons’ most alien creatures, the mind flayers. This will be the first time in 20 years since the franchise has launched a brand new title. Though enhanced editions of Baldur’s Gate, the Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear expansion, Baldur’s Gate II, Planescape: Torment/Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights released for consoles last year.
Wizards of the Coast is planning on releasing seven new Dungeons and Dragons games over the next couple of years. Along with Baldur’s Gate 3, the only other D&D game that has been mentioned is Dark Alliance, a game where players can control popular characters featured in R.A. Salvatore’s The Legend of Drizzt book series.
Originally, representatives at Larian said the third game in the series will release within the launch window of Google Stadia, but that didn’t happen.
The city of Baldur’s Gate has been a popular setting for several of D&D’s editions over the years, with the most recent taking place within Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus.
Baldur’s Gate 3 will be available on Steam after it’s run as an early access game. Hopefully, it won’t take a full year to enhance any problems that may arise, and it releases sooner than expected.