Baldur’s Gate 3 will release on Xbox Series X/S consoles before the end of the year, Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has confirmed, but the Series S version will launch without split-screen co-op. As many know, Baldur’s Gate 3 is already available on PC and is set to release on PS5 in early September, with pre-orders skyrocketing on PS5 shortly after its initial release. This is no doubt due to the excellent reviews Baldur’s Gate 3 has received since its launch.
However, prior to this news, fans knew that it didn’t have a date for Xbox. While some assumed, at one point, that this was due to some form of PlayStation console exclusivity, that’s never been the case. Instead, it’s been an issue with making sure that all of Baldur’s Gate 3 features will work on the Xbox Series ecosystem, as the Xbox Series S was reportedly struggling with BG3‘s intense co-op feature. Co-op is a key feature for many players, as it lets them play with their friends as if it were a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and it’s so extensive that players could be in completely different areas of the game.
Now, it seems Xbox’s Phil Spencer and Larian’s Vincke held a meeting about getting Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox. The long and short of it is that Vincke has confirmed BG3 will be on Xbox prior to the end of the year, with the Series X version of the game featuring having complete parity with the PC version, including all improvements and split-screen co-op. However, the Xbox Series S will not feature split-screen co-op. This is unfortunate for Series S owners hoping to play it on the couch with their friends, but they’ll still be able to play co-op online.
Furthermore, the Xbox Series S will still support cross-save progression, meaning fans can still access their characters across Steam, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. Some Series S users travel with their console, while using the Series X at home, and this is a win for them. Overall, it is a compromise, but it’s likely a catch many fans can live with.
Of course, Vincke stopped short of confirming exactly when Baldur’s Gate 3 will come to Xbox, but with about four months to go, fans can probably expect this news relatively soon. It’s not likely to be in early September alongside the PS5 version, but having some confirmation that it’ll happen in 2023 is better than what fans had before.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now on PC and releases for PS5 on September 6. Xbox Series X/S versions are expected before the end of the year.
