No. 10Party role-playing game
Baldur's Gate 3: what it asks of your kit, and why it is worth it
Larian's finished fantasy epic on every kit it supports: a huge PC install, a native Steam Deck build, a Mac version and full crossplay since the final patch.
01 · the kit listWhere Baldur's Gate 3 plays
Strong on PC, Steam Deck, Mac and current consoles, and missing from Nintendo hardware and phones. The 150 GB install is the number to plan around.
- Desktop PCPlays
Steam and GOG. The minimum is a GTX 970-class card with 4 GB of video memory; an SSD is required.
- Everyday laptopNot available
The minimum card needs 4 GB of video memory, beyond integrated graphics.
- Steam DeckPlays · Verified
Verified, and since September 2025 a native Steam Deck build installs automatically, using less power and loading faster.
- PlayStation 5Plays
Native PS5 version with two-player split-screen.
- Xbox Series X|SPlays
Series X|S only, with split-screen on both consoles since Patch 8. Buying on Xbox also gives the PC version through Play Anywhere.
- Nintendo Switch 2Not available
Not released for Switch 2, and no version has been announced.
- Phone & tabletNot available
No phone or tablet version.
- MacPlays · Apple silicon
Native on Steam and GOG. Minimum Apple M1 with 8 GB; an M1 Pro or better is recommended.
- Cloud streamingWith caveats · Needs a service
Stream a copy you own on GeForce NOW or Xbox cloud streaming (Game Pass Essential or higher), or on PS5 with PS Plus Premium.
02 · on a PCWhat your PC needs
- System
- 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor
- Core i5-4690 or AMD FX 8350
- Memory
- 8 GB
- Graphics
- GeForce GTX 970, Radeon RX 480 or Arc A380 (4 GB video memory)
- Storage
- 150 GB, SSD required
- System
- 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor
- Core i7 8700K or Ryzen 5 3600
- Memory
- 16 GB
- Graphics
- GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, Radeon RX 5700 XT or Arc A580 (8 GB video memory)
- Storage
- 150 GB, SSD required
Published by Larian Studios on Steam. DirectX 11. The minimum list also names Snapdragon X Elite laptops. Official requirements.
03 · the verdictStill the high-water mark for choices that matter
Baldur's Gate 3 is a party role-playing game set in the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons. You make a character or take on one of the pre-written companions, gather a party of four and cross three large acts of story, with fights played out turn by turn and nearly every action decided by a visible dice roll.
What still sets it apart is how much the world listens. Almost every problem has several answers, most of them improvised: talk your way past a guard, sneak around him, turn the environment against him, or leave and come back another way. Companions remember what you did and argue about it, and whole storylines open or close on decisions made hours earlier.
Larian has finished its work on the game, and that is good news for a newcomer. The version on sale today is the complete one, with years of fixes, an epilogue, extra endings, a photo mode and the extra subclasses of the final large patch. There is no shop and no season pass, just the game.
The kit story is straightforward on PC and console and awkward everywhere else. It is Verified on Steam Deck, native on Apple silicon Macs and released on both current consoles, but it asks for a very large install and the busy city of the final act leans hard on your processor. There is nothing for phones or Nintendo hardware.
Start it if…
you want a long story where your decisions visibly change the world, and you enjoy thinking through each turn of a fight.
Skip it if…
you prefer quick sessions or real-time action, or your only computer is a laptop without a graphics card.
04 · the score8.9 out of 10, and why
05 · the billWhat it costs in the UK
| Store | What you get | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | Base game | £49.99 | |
| GOG | Base game (Windows and Mac) | £49.99 | |
| PlayStation Store | Base game (PS5) | £57.99 | £40.59 in a sale ending 7 Oct 2026 |
| Xbox Store | Base game (Series X|S and PC) | £57.99 | |
| Steam | Digital Deluxe upgrade | £8.50 | Cosmetics, soundtrack, artbook |
Online play on consoles
- PlayStation
- PS Plus for online co-op; split-screen needs nothing
- Xbox
- Game Pass Essential or higher for online co-op
- Nintendo
- Not on Nintendo hardware
What the shop sells
No in-game shop and no microtransactions. The only paid extra is the Digital Deluxe upgrade.
PEGI purchase descriptor: None.
Which edition? The standard edition is the whole game: there are no story expansions. The Digital Deluxe upgrade adds cosmetics, a soundtrack and an artbook, and is easy to skip. At full price the PC version is cheaper than console, but the PS5 version is on sale until 7 October 2026.
06 · starting in 2026The finished version is the one you buy
Larian called Patch 8, in April 2025, its final major patch: it added twelve subclasses, a photo mode and crossplay. Since then only hotfixes have followed, including the native Steam Deck build, so nothing big is going to change under a new player's feet.
Patch 8, the final major patch, added twelve subclasses, photo mode, crossplay and cross-platform progress. Source.
Hotfix 34 brought a native Steam Deck build with lower memory use and faster loading. Source.
Hotfix 35 fixed console crashes and moved the Deck build to a sharper upscaler. Source.
Hotfix 36, the latest, fixed frame-rate drops and crashes on several platforms. Source.
No new content is planned; Larian's next game is a separate project.
07 · strengths and catchesWorth knowing
Strengths
- Choices that genuinely change the story, in small ways and very large ones
- Complete, heavily patched and free of any in-game shop
- Verified on Steam Deck and native on Apple silicon Macs
- Co-op for up to four players, with crossplay added in the final patch
Catches
- A very large install, and a demanding final act
- Turn-based fights ask for patience and reading
- Nothing for Switch 2, phones or low-power laptops
08 · first stepsBefore your first session
- Keep several separate save files rather than one quick-save: some consequences surface hours later.
- Hover over any dice check before committing to it: the chance of success is shown before you act, and a clever alternative is often better.
- Use long rests freely. Some conversations only happen at camp, and the story waits for you.
- In co-op, agree before starting who leads conversations, since any player can start one.
09 · screenshotsHow it looks
Screenshots: official, © Larian Studios.
10 · questionsCommon questions
How much space does Baldur's Gate 3 need?
150 GB on PC and Mac, on an SSD. The Xbox download is about 151 GB.
Does Baldur's Gate 3 run on Steam Deck?
Yes. It is Verified, and a native Steam Deck build has installed automatically since September 2025.
Is there crossplay?
Yes, since Patch 8: PC, Mac, PS5 and Xbox Series players can play together with a free Larian account and matching mods.
Is it coming to Switch 2?
No version has been announced.