What is Baldur's Gate 3?
Baldur's Gate 3 is Larian Studios' D&D 5th Edition CRPG — a turn-based, party-of-four RPG that turns a tabletop ruleset into the most complete cinematic role-player on PC. You build a character (or pick an Origin like Astarion, Karlach, Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Wyll or Gale), travel from the Nautiloid crash through the Mountain Pass and into Baldur's Gate proper, and shape a 75–120 hour story where every choice — class, dice rolls, dialogue — sticks.
Why it’s the GOTY 2023
- Choices that matter. Conversations, fights and entire quest chains can be solved by stealth, persuasion, intimidation, or simply by being a paladin with a hammer.
- Origin companions. Six fully voiced, romanceable, branching companions; you can play as them for a different lens on the same story.
- Full 4-player co-op. Drop in, drop out, share or split the party — all turn-based, all D&D rules, no exceptions.
- Mod-friendly on PC. Steam Workshop is integrated and the official Mod Manager keeps everything consistent across saves.
How to buy and start playing
- Open the official Steam page using the Buy on Steam button above.
- Purchase BG3 (the base edition includes the post-launch Definitive content).
- Install through your Steam Library — about 150 GB on an SSD.
- Launch with DirectX 11 or Vulkan; create a character and choose Story / Explorer / Balanced / Tactician / Honour Mode.
System requirements (PC)
Minimum: Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core i5-4690 / Ryzen 5 1500X, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 970 / Radeon RX 480. Recommended: Core i7-8700K / Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, RTX 2060 Super / RX 5700 XT. SSD highly recommended; ~150 GB install.
Screenshots
Critical & player reception
1stargames editorial summary — these notes reflect widely reported critic and player sentiment, not direct quotes or verified individual reviews. For scored critic reviews see Metacritic or OpenCritic; for player reviews, open the game’s Steam page.
- Critics: Released in August 2023 to near-universal acclaim and named Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023, among many other awards.
- Players: “Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam, with praise for reactivity, companion writing and full four-player co-op.
- Common criticism: A large (~150 GB) install, and some players note pacing and performance density in Act 3.
Editor verdict
Buy. BG3 on Steam is the canonical version: cross-saves with Larian's launcher, Workshop mods, and ongoing patches. It’s the highest-rated CRPG on the platform and the new template for the genre.
- Best-in-class story & choice
- True 4-player co-op
- Steam Workshop mods
- ~150 GB install
- Late Act 3 is dense
Frequently asked questions
Is Baldur's Gate 3 on Steam?
Yes — sold and updated by Larian Studios. The button above goes to the official Steam product page.
How many players can play co-op?
Up to four players online; two on a single PC via split-screen.
Are mods supported?
Yes, with first-party Steam Workshop integration and an in-game Mod Manager since Patch 7.
How long is BG3?
Roughly 75 hours focused, 100+ hours typical, 200+ if you complete companion arcs and replay endings.
