Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by unveiling a fascinating collection of player statistics, offering a glimpse into the community's diverse gameplay experiences. From romantic entanglements to bizarre encounters, the data reveals a rich tapestry of player choices and achievements.
A Look at Love and Other Encounters in the Forgotten Realms
Larian's Twitter (X) post yesterday showcased the breadth of player interactions. Over 75 million in-game kisses were exchanged, with Shadowheart leading the romance pack at 27 million, followed by Astarion (15 million) and Minthara (169,937). Act 1's celebratory night saw 32.5% of players choosing Shadowheart, 13.5% opting for Karlach, and 15.6% choosing solitude. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity soared, with 48.8% experiencing her final romance scene, while 17.6% romanced Karlach, and 12.9% shared a tender moment with Lae'zel.
More adventurous players explored other romantic options: 658,000 players engaged in intimate moments with Halsin (70% in human form, 30% bear form), and 1.1 million players found themselves romantically involved with the Emperor (63% in Dream Guardian form, 37% with mind flayer tentacles).
Whimsical Adventures and Beloved Companions
Beyond romance, players indulged in a variety of unusual activities. A remarkable 1.9 million players transformed into cheese wheels, showcasing the game's playful mechanics. Friendly dinosaurs received 3.5 million visits, and 2 million players freed Us from the Colony, demonstrating a fondness for unique side quests. Even the Dark Urge surprised some, with 3,777 players finding a way to spare Alfira, leading to more lute rock in the game.
Animal companions were clearly beloved. Scratch the dog received over 120 million pets, while the Owlbear Cub garnered over 41 million. A curious 141,600 players attempted to pet His Majesty, the cat—the same number who conquered Honour Mode, a surprising statistical coincidence.
Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences
An impressive 93% of players chose to create custom characters, highlighting the importance of personalization in Baldur's Gate 3. Among pre-made characters, Astarion was the most popular (1.21 million players), followed by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). Interestingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the Dark Urge.
Paladin was the most popular class (nearly 10 million players), closely followed by Sorcerer and Fighter (over 7.5 million each). Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, also had significant representation, though fewer than 7.5 million. Rangers and Clerics were chosen by 5 million and fewer than 5 million players respectively.
Elves were the most popular race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (both at 12.5 million). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also had over 7.5 million players each. Half-Orcs, Githyanki, and Dwarves had over 2.5 million each, while Gnomes and Halflings had fewer. Certain class/race combinations were particularly popular, reflecting player preferences and character synergy.
Epic Triumphs and Difficult Choices
141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat (76% deleted saves, 24% continued in custom mode). 1.8 million players betrayed the Emperor, 329,000 convinced Orpheus to live as a mind flayer, and 3.3 million killed the Netherbrain (200,000 with Gale's sacrifice). A unique outcome saw 34 players experience Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection.
The anniversary statistics paint a vivid picture of Baldur's Gate 3's diverse and engaging community, showcasing both heroic achievements and humorous side quests. The Forgotten Realms have certainly seen a wide variety of player experiences.
