Baldur’s Gate 3 ‘very close’ to Xbox launch after development breakthrough

The wait is almost over.

An image of Karlach from Baldur's Gate 3 over an Xbox logo.
Images via Larian Studios, Microsoft. Remix by Dot Esports

Baldur’s Gate 3 is rapidly approaching a long-awaited release on Xbox after a positive update was shared by Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke.

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Released on PC on Aug. 3, 2023, a PlayStation 5 release followed on Sept. 6, while Mac players finally got access to the game on Sept. 22. Xbox players, however, have had to endure a long wait to enjoy one of the leading contenders for Game of the Year.

Developers initially claimed the delay was due to a parity issue with Xbox Series S, though Xbox supremo Phil Spencer denied that was the case at Gamescom—where he met with Larian Studios to discuss release plans.

Eventually, a “solution” was found that enabled Baldur’s Gate 3 to prepare for an Xbox release before the end of 2023. But, now into the second week of November, that release window is rapidly closing and few updates have been shared.

Vincke, however, shared news of a breakthrough engineers have found in developing the game for Xbox consoles and said on Nov. 8 that an Xbox release was “very close now,” as spotted by PureXbox.

It’s not just good news for Xbox players either. Vincke believes the fix will “benefit all platforms,” and it certainly seems a major hurdle has been overcome as, prior to the breakthrough, the issue was the “main thing holding us back.”

I won’t pretend to know exactly what the charts shared by Vincke mean or about any technical issues, but as someone who has sunk many hours into Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC but is predominantly an Xbox gamer, I’m extremely encouraged by the update—and it certainly appears Vincke is too.

Hopefully, we’ll see Baldur’s Gate 3 drop on Xbox before Christmas, which probably means I should start persuading my wife to begin a playthrough with me now. Wish me luck.

Author
Image of Josh Challies
Josh Challies
Staff Writer. Professional writer since 2014. Pokemon, Marvel, Star Wars and overall geek. Previously wrote for Yahoo Sport, Stats Perform and online news publications.