Why Baldur's Gate 3 Isn't On Xbox Game Pass

Summary Baldur's Gate 3 isn't on Xbox Game Pass due to Larian Studios' choices

Larian's strong stance on selling games individually indicates BG3 won't hit subscription services.

Gaming subscription growth slowdown may mean fewer major releases on Game Pass.

One of the biggest games of 2023, Baldur's Gate 3's breakout success has audiences eager to see the game on as many platforms as possible. Initially launched on Steam after a lengthy Early Access period, the game has since received ports for PlayStation and Xbox, as well as a physical release available for each platform. Noticeably, however, BG3 has yet to make its way to any subscription services like Xbox Game Pass - and, unfortunately, it's likely to stay that way.

Despite being one of 2023's biggest breakout hits, Baldur's Gate 3 was faced with considerable delays when it came to the game's console ports. This was especially true for the game's Xbox port, which only launched in December, just over four months after the game's initial release on PC - considerably later than the PS5 port, which launched only around a month after release. With the game now having been ported to both consoles, however, there's still the question of its potential presence on any subscription services, the most prominent of which would be Xbox Game Pass.

Related "An Iconic, Engaging Mess Of Brilliant Ideas": Baldur's Gate 3 Review Baldur's Gate 3 is imposing in stature and its best moments are truly memorable, but some early issues with scale suggest an uneven experience.

Why Baldur's Gate 3 Isn't Coming To Xbox Game Pass

BG3's Developers Aren't Putting The Game On Subscription Services

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Unfortunately for Game Pass subscribers, Baldur's Gate 3 isn't currently in the service's catalog, and isn't likely to make an appearance there in the near future. In an interview conducted by Kat Bailey of IGN with the game's developers near the end of 2023, Larian CEO Swen Vincke stated that BG3 wouldn't be making its way to Game Pass, saying "we made a big game, so I think there's a fair price to be paid for that." So far, this statement has held true - while Baldur's Gate 3 received a surprise Xbox launch at the 2023 Game Awards, the game hasn't been made available on Game Pass, or any other currently available subscription service.

Moreover, with Larian being in charge of both publishing and developing Baldur's Gate 3, Vincke's statement is likely to hold true in the future as well, barring a complete shift in the studio's stance. Although Wizards of the Coast, who own the license for the Baldur's Gate franchise, may have some input, the final decision for the distribution of BG3 to different platforms seems to fall primarily to Larian, with the studio having handled the game's various ports, as well as its physical edition, mostly on its own.

In the context of Game Pass, it's also worth noting that no other games developed by Larian, such as those from the Divinity series, have appeared on the service either - which, in line with Vincke's statement, indicates the studio's stance on subscription gaming services is consistent across all of its games. While some CRPGs are present in the Game Pass library (mostly from studios currently owned by Xbox), including Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity or old classics like the original two Fallout games, the classic Baldur's Gate games, developed mostly by BioWare, are also not included.

Baldur's Gate 3 (Probably) Won't Ever Come To Game Pass

Larian Studios Wants To Sell Its Games For A Fair, Set Price

Generally, as the value of Xbox Game Pass diminishes, it might be prudent of subscribers to expect fewer games from outside Xbox's umbrella to make their way to the service, or at least for more games not to be available on Game Pass right at launch. As gaming subscription services continue to see stalled yearly growth, investment in those services is likely to wind down to some degree, especially when it comes to making deals for major releases on the service.

In the case of Baldur's Gate 3, however, while Vincke declined to comment specifically about any potentially offered Game Pass deals, it's unlikely that any lessened investment in the service contributed to BG3's absence from it. Larian, as stated by Vincke in the previously mentioned interview, is "in the business of making a game that has a beginning, middle, and end," showing a strong stance towards the studio's games remaining unconnected to any sort of ongoing service.

So, Baldur's Gate 3 is not currently on Game Pass (or any other subscription service, for that matter), and unlikely to make its way to one any time soon. While it's currently unknown what negotiations or deals have been or are being discussed between Larian and Xbox, the studio's publicly stated stance on its own games is that they will continue to be sold as individual products - and anyone waiting for Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Game Pass will probably be waiting for a very long time.

Source: IGN