Baldur's Gate 3 is doing even better in 2024 than it did in 2023, with daily users up 20%, and Larian thinks it knows why: "Mods are very good"
Patch 7 introduced official mod support
Over a year after its release, Baldur's Gate 3 is reaching new heights of active daily players - and publishing director Michael "Cromwelp" Douse thinks he might know why.
Speaking in a recent thread online, Douse jokes that Larian Studios' sales chart "looks like the heartbeat of a happy little guy" and shares "some fun data facts I have dug up just now" on Baldur's Gate 3. "Our average daily peak concurrents are up 3% this year over last year," he writes, adding that "mods are good." He then cites another impressive stat: "Our average daily active 'users' are up 20% over last year."
Douse reiterates again, that "mods are very good." Even platforms that are harder to mod on, like the Steam Deck, are seeing strong activity, however - as the publishing lead points out, "Average daily Steam Deck users are up 61% over last year" as well. This could have to do with the game's recent Patch 7 and its introduction of native mod support, though, making modding on devices like the Deck easier.
Some Fun Data Facts I have dug up just now. 1) Our average daily peak concurrents are up 3% this year over last year (mods are good)2) Our average daily active "users" are up 20% over last year (mods are very good)3) Average daily Steam Deck users are up 61% over last yearNovember 18, 2024
The 61% lines up nicely with numbers previously shared by Douse, too, highlighting that the RPG has been played for 17 million hours on the Steam Deck alone - nearly 2,000 years on the handheld console from Valve. Things are certainly continuing to look up for Larian's 2023 banger, and its continuous rise in activity isn't the only cause for celebration either. As Douse reveals, the game also seems to be taking off in the Vatican.
Yes, that Vatican - "I am also happy to announce we have achieved 1 (one) more sale in The Holy See, the Vatican itself," says Douse. "Thank you Mr Pope and enjoy the game." That marks three copies sold within the ecclesiastical state now, and one wishlisted. It's safe to say the whole world loves Baldur's Gate 3, with even the Roman Catholic Church joining the good fight against the Dead Three - or perhaps playing as the Dark Urge?
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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.