With a blend of excitement and anticipation that is characteristic of the days preceding the release of a major video game, players around the world are eagerly counting down to the launch of Baldur’s Gate 3, the much-awaited role-playing game developed by Larian Studios. The full version of the epic RPG is set to roll out on August 3, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. But as the countdown winds down, a word of caution from the developers has sparked intriguing conversation and required action in the gaming community.
Larian Studios recently issued an unusual advisory to those who took part in the game’s early access stage. Via a series of tweets, the developer instructed Baldur’s Gate 3 early access players to delete all their save files and mods, and then to go ahead and uninstall the game altogether.
The objective of this unorthodox step is to avert potential file conflicts during the downloading of the final version of the game. This, according to the developers, is a strategy to enable “more playing, and no troubleshooting!” while maintaining the sanctity of the gaming experience.
We recommend players with Early Access installed uninstall the game after deleting their save files.
This will reduce the risk of file conflicts when the final game downloads, and should mean more playing, and no troubleshooting!
We’ll have a full guide for launch tomorrow.
— Baldur's Gate 3 (@baldursgate3) August 1, 2023
Larian Studios has consistently emphasized that the early access save files aren’t compatible with the full version. Studios are ensuring that players start afresh on a journey that will be more consistent with Larian’s original vision for the game. This is especially relevant considering the monumental changes the final update will introduce to the game, transforming the first act and adding the remaining two-thirds to the mix.
There’s no doubting the scale and ambition of Baldur’s Gate 3, considering its impressive size of 122GB. Despite being a hefty download, the developers have revealed that there won’t be any preloading available before its release. This means players will have to download the game from scratch upon its release. However, given the intensity of the changes and the scale of the game, this seems like a minor trade-off for the enriching experience that lies in store.
Players need not worry about the hassle of manual deletion. According to Michael Douse, Larian’s director of publishing, the most efficient way to delete your Baldur’s Gate 3 saves is in-game, thereby ensuring that Steam Cloud and Larian Cloud are updated server-side to reflect these deletions. This approach should alleviate concerns about any lingering ghost files causing conflict with the new game download.
Larian Studios has also anticipated the fans’ curiosity about the game’s release on different platforms. PlayStation 5 users will have to slightly prolong their anticipation, as the RPG’s debut on the console has been deferred to September 6. The question of an Xbox release remains elusive due to technical issues with the Series S version. However, in a boon to players, the game supports cross-save progression, enabling fans to pick up where they left off on a different device.
As for the gameplay itself, players are in for a lengthy and immersive experience. The standard playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 takes between 75 to 100 hours, according to Larian Studios, but those wanting to explore all facets of the game will want to prepare double that time.
Remarkably, there are a staggering 17,000 variations of the game’s endings, revealing the immense depth and complexity of this RPG.
All said and done, Larian’s advisories might seem peculiar to some, but the aim is clear: to ensure an optimal and smooth gaming experience. As the launch day draws nearer, excitement mixes with anticipation, and the gaming world prepares to enter the grand realm of Baldur’s Gate 3. With their old save files erased and a fresh download, players are set to embark on a new adventure that promises to be worth every moment of the wait.
Speaking of Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll want to uninstall more than just the Early Access version of the game. With a whopping 150GB storage space recommended and no pre-load, playing the full launch of Baldur’s Gate 3 requires a bit of preparation.
