After three years in early access, Baldur’s Gate 3 finally gets a full release this August. While some players may want to pre-order the complete game right away, others might want to sample the early access version first to see how it plays before deciding. Early access gamers have access to a sizable amount of material, but if you’re curious about how much there is to do, we’ve got you covered.
Here is all the information you need to know about the early access period of Baldur’s Gate 3, including whether it is worthwhile to purchase it or not, if you’re interested in seeing what the game is about, or simply want to get a decent head start before the official release.
What’s in Baldur’s Gate 3 Early Access?
There is a ton of stuff in the Baldur’s Gate 3 early access, so players who want to start playing the game now will have enough to discover. What you can anticipate seeing in the game’s early access is stated below:
- Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3 (25-35 hours of content)
- Nine races
- 11 Classes
- 24 Subclasses
- Fully active multiplayer capabilities
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 Worth It in Early Access?
With all those components included in Baldur’s Gate 3 early access, it’s natural to question whether doing so is worthwhile. It takes more time to respond to that question since you need to consider what you hope to achieve from early access and whether it is worthwhile.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has been in early access since October 2020, which is important to note. You can play the game for about 30 hours thanks to its carefully polished features, interface, and gameplay. Plenty of interesting characters and gorgeous cinematic scenes draw you into every conflict and conversation.
In addition, the variety of races, classes, subclasses, and feats available while designing a character makes each run distinct. It’s ideal for players who aren’t completely sure which build they want to commit to when the game is released. Even though it could seem a little overwhelming initially, early access allows players to explore these features at their speed and get a feel for the best builds before leveling up entirely in the main game.
Last but not least, and maybe the deciding factor for many gamers, if you purchase early access, which costs the same as when it is fully released, you will have access to all pre-order benefits. This unlocks various uses, including premium cosmetics, a digital artbook, a soundtrack, character sheets, and boosts for your characters. Even if you don’t play it much, since the game is always the same price, getting it early is still beneficial if you want to access those benefits.
On the other side, playing out the game early could be utterly pointless if you’re not too interested in the early access prizes.
This is mostly due to the level cap 5 that will apply to your character until the game’s final release. This may be quite irritating for those trying to test out their characters and see what works and what doesn’t because you’ll never go far enough to try those potent builds or experience the more difficult creatures.
Additionally, you’ll have to restart the tale and your character from scratch when the game launches in August, just like with every early access edition—robbing you of all your achievements, selected design, loot, and story advancement. This can be really annoying, especially if you get early access so soon before the game’s official release and don’t have the opportunity to spend at least another 30 hours properly exploring the game.
Additionally, while the price consistency is a good reason to buy Baldur’s Gate 3 before it is officially released, it also serves as a good reason to wait until it is released. The only thing you won’t get is the pre-order bonus, which is useless if you don’t want to buy those.
Last but not least, although the game has been in early access for a while, it is still worth keeping in mind. That means there are still some minor bugs, crashes, texture problems, and glitches that, for some players, will destroy the immersive experience they were hoping for in the finished game.
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Should You Get Baldur’s Gate 3 in Early Access?
It’s ultimately up to you. Get Baldur’s Gate 3 in early access if you want to try out the earlier patches, get the pre-order bonuses, and test out all the classes and races before the full game is released. However, if you don’t like starting over after having your character reset or don’t care about the awards, it could be better to wait until the beginning of August instead.
Take a look at the tweet we have provided to you below-
📢PSA: Full post tomorrow, but for Baldur's Gate 3 players with existing Early Access saves, we ask that prior to August 3, launch the game, and delete all save files to avoid unintended conflicts at launch. Also, remove any mods and ensure they do not automatically re-download.
— Baldur's Gate 3 (@baldursgate3) August 1, 2023
Check out some of our other gaming articles or fresh content while you wait for the game to launch or download.
