Baldur's Gate 3 Players Get Experimental

Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by unveiling a fascinating collection of player statistics, showcasing diverse gameplay choices and preferences. The data reveals a vibrant community shaped by epic battles, quirky side quests, and unexpected romantic entanglements.

Romantic Pursuits in the Forgotten Realms

The stats highlight the significant role romance played in many players' journeys. A staggering 75 million companion kisses were recorded, with Shadowheart leading the 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, compared to 17.6% with Karlach and 12.9% with Lae'zel.

More adventurous players engaged in intimate encounters with Halsin (658,000), with 70% preferring his human form and 30% his bear form. Remarkably, 1.1 million players experienced intimacy with the Emperor, favoring the Dream Guardian form (63%) over the mind flayer tentacles (37%).

Whimsical Adventures and Unexpected Encounters

Beyond the main narrative, players indulged in a range of humorous activities. 1.9 million players transformed into cheese wheels, showcasing the game's playful mechanics. Friendly dinosaurs received 3.5 million visits, while 2 million players freed Us from the Colony. Even the Dark Urge showed a surprising softer side, with 3,777 players finding a way to spare Alfira, indirectly boosting the game's lute rock scene.

Animal companions also proved immensely popular. Scratch, the loyal canine, 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.

Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences

A remarkable 93% of players opted to create custom avatars, highlighting the desire for personalized heroes. Among pre-made characters, Astarion (1.21 million players) was the most popular, followed by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). Interestingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the enigmatic Dark Urge.

Paladin proved the most popular class (nearly 10 million players), followed closely by Sorcerer and Fighter (over 7.5 million each). Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, also had significant representation. Elves were the most chosen race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (12.5 million each). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also exceeded 7.5 million selections.

Specific class-race combinations revealed interesting trends. Dwarves favored Paladins (20%), Dragonborn preferred Sorcerers, Halflings leaned towards Bards and Rogues, Gnomes favored Bards and Druids, and Tieflings balanced between Paladin, Barbarian, and Warlock.

Epic Achievements and Diverse Endings

141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat. Of those defeated, 76% deleted their saves, while 24% continued in custom mode.

Players faced significant narrative choices: 1.8 million betrayed the Emperor, 329,000 convinced Orpheus to remain a mind flayer, and 3.3 million killed the Netherbrain (200,000 with Gale's sacrifice). A rare outcome saw 34 players experience Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection by Vlaakith.

The anniversary stats paint a comprehensive picture of Baldur's Gate 3's diverse and engaged community, showcasing the depth and replayability of the game.