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Baldur’s Gate 3: release dates, file size, preorder, and early access

Jesse Lennox
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After many years of waiting, plus months in early access getting things just right, Baldur’s Gate 3 is finally poised for a full release on August 3 for PC and September 6 on PS5, with Xbox consoles not officially confirmed as of yet. This sequel looks to be the follow-up fans of the most popular Dungeons & Dragons spinoff have been dreaming of, with deep character customization, meaningful decision-making, and tactical turn-based combat.

Whether you’ve been following the game’s progress through the early-access versions or waiting for the final product, you will want to be ready to begin your adventure the moment the title drops on your platform of choice. We can’t help you build your character sheet, but we can at least make sure you’re ready to roll your character the moment Baldur’s Gate 3 opens.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 release time

A map showing when Baldur's Gate 3 launches around the world.
Larian

In a rare move, Larian Studios split the release date for Baldur’s Gate 3, moving the PC date forward to August 3 and PS5 version back to September 6. If you are a PC player, you can start playing at 8 a.m. PT and 11 a.m. ET on August 3. See the above map for other time zones.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 file size

Larian Studios has officially stated that PC players will need 150GB of free space to install Baldur’s Gate 3, but Director of Publishing Michael Douse later stated that the game itself will only take up 122GB, noting “We like you having at least 150GB because that’s just good for you.” To be safe, we suggest having 150GB free just in case.

The file size for the PS5 version is still unknown.

Baldur’s Gate 3 preload options

A Baldur's Gate 3 character lights the way.
Larian Studios

PC players will not be able to preload Baldur’s Gate 3 prior to its launch date and time. You will have to wait until the game releases before downloading the entire game to play. However, we do know that those who preorder the Digital Deluxe Edition are eligible for 72-hour early access to Act 1 of the game only on the PS5 version of the game, implying that preloads will be done sometime before that period. The PC Digital Deluxe Edition does not include a 72-hour head start.

Again, we will update you when official word is given.

Baldur’s Gate 3 preorder details

Baldur’s Gate 3 is available to preorder as the base game, Digital Deluxe Edition on PS5, and Collector’s Edition for both PC and PS5 through its official store.

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Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…
All companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 and how to get them
Wyll with horns dancing.

The story in Baldur's Gate 3 is shared equally between your own created character and your party of companions. Each one you choose to team up with has their own personalities, backstories, and goals that you can choose to help them accomplish during your travels through the Forgotten Realms. While you can only have three accompany you at any one time, there are far more that you can recruit and swap in and out to best suit the challenges ahead, or just to get a new perspective on events. Essentially, all companions are missable, even the early ones you're all but forced to interact with, but there are others that are harder to get, and some you have to choose between. Here's a full list of every potential companion in Baldur's Gate 3 and what you need to do to add them to your party.
All companions
There are 10 potential companions to recruit in Baldur's Gate 3, each of a different race, class, and background. Some you meet early, some late, and others not at all depending on your choices.
Shadowheart

The Cleric of the group, this is your first potential companion. As long as you choose to save her from her pod-thing on the Nautiloid ship in the opening of the game, you will find her on the beach you crash-land on. If you decided not to save her on the ship, you can still add her to your team by finding her farther east down the beach near the Dank Crypt.
Astarion

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How to level up fast in Baldur’s Gate 3: best ways to farm XP
A wizard charges a spell to hit a minataur.

Leveling up is important in almost every RPG, but for a CRPG as deep and ruthless as Baldur's Gate 3 can be, being underleveled can make many aspects of the game essentially impossible. Each level provides you with valuable points within your skills, but also the opportunity to learn new abilities for in and out of combat. If you're too focused on simply trying to complete the main story, sooner or later you will hit a wall and need to level up before you can progress. Or, if you're more interested in making sure you can crush any battle and pass any skill check without needing to use Inspiration Points to reroll, then knowing the best way to earn XP will get you there. Here's how you can level up fast in Baldur's Gate 3.
Fight, fight, fight!

Let's get the most obvious source of XP out of the way first. Every enemy you slay will deposit a nice, little chunk of XP toward your next level, with the amounts varying depending on the level of your enemies. There are a ton of optional fights in Baldur's Gate 3, such as some you can just happen to come across in your travels, but also others that you can choose to avoid by talking your way out of a confrontation. With the latter option, you will want to consider whether or not you're OK with potentially killing the specific person or group you will be fighting. Killing certain characters can have unforeseen consequences later on, but on the other hand, so can letting them live.

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Baldur’s Gate 3: PS5 release dates, file size, preorder, and early access
A party of heroes stands on a cliff in Baldur's Gate 3.

If you've been patiently waiting for Baldur's Gate 3 to arrive on PlayStation 5 while PC players got an early start, you won't have to wait much longer, unlike Xbox players. By now you don't need us to tell you just how amazing this game has shaped up to be, and are more than likely already prepared with your choice of character and just waiting for the green light to finally dive into this massive CRPG. But if your excitement has gotten the better of you and you don't know exactly when Baldur's Gate 3 will be ready to play, how to preload, or even if you can get in on the game a little early, we've got you covered.
Baldur's Gate 3 release time

Baldur's Gate 3 will come out for all PS5 players officially on September 6 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET. Anyone who purchased the Digital Deluxe Edition gets 72 hours of early access, meaning you can start playing on September 3 instead.
Baldur's Gate 3 file size

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