With Baldur's Gate 3's Steam Player Count Booming Following Patch 8, Larian Now Has 'Room to Focus on Making Our Next Big Thing as Good as We Can'

The release of the highly anticipated Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 has sparked a significant surge in player numbers on Steam, setting the stage for developer Larian Studios to shift focus to their next major project. Launched last week, Patch 8 introduced 12 new subclasses and a brand new photo mode, drawing fans back to the game to explore these exciting additions.

Over the weekend, Baldur’s Gate 3 reached a concurrent player peak of 169,267 on Steam—an impressive achievement for a single-player role-playing game in its second year. While Sony and Microsoft keep PlayStation and Xbox player numbers private, the surge on Steam highlights the continued popularity of the game.

Reflecting on Patch 8's impact, Larian's chief, Swen Vincke, tweeted his optimism about the game's future, attributing the sustained interest to both the patch and the thriving mod support. "I expect Baldur’s Gate 3 to continue to do well for quite some time," Vincke stated, adding that this success allows Larian to focus on their next big project. "We’ve got big shoes to fill," he acknowledged, expressing satisfaction with the development effort that went into Patch 8.

Patch 8 marks the final major update for Baldur’s Gate 3, concluding a remarkable chapter for Larian. The game, which launched to critical acclaim and commercial success in 2023, has maintained strong sales into 2025. In a surprising move, Larian announced plans to move away from Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Dungeons & Dragons universe to develop a new, undisclosed project, imposing a media blackout to concentrate on this mystery endeavor.

Meanwhile, D&D owner Hasbro has expressed intentions to continue the Baldur’s Gate series. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, SVP of digital games at Hasbro, Dan Ayoub, revealed that with Larian's departure, "a lot of people [are] very interested in Baldur's Gate." Hasbro is actively planning its next steps and Ayoub hinted at forthcoming announcements. While not specifying whether these plans include a new Baldur's Gate game or another type of project, Ayoub expressed a desire for a Baldur's Gate 4, though he emphasized a cautious approach. "We're not in a hurry," he noted, indicating that Hasbro will take time to develop their strategy for the franchise's future.