Baldur's Gate 3's Patch 7: A Million Mods and Counting

The release of Baldur's Gate 3's Patch 7 has ignited a modding frenzy. Within 24 hours of its September 5th launch, over one million mods were installed, according to Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke. This figure has since exploded, surpassing three million installs according to mod.io founder Scott Reismanis. Vincke himself described the modding community's response as "pretty big."

This surge in mod usage is largely attributed to Patch 7's inclusion of Larian's own Mod Manager. This integrated tool simplifies the process of browsing, installing, and managing mods, eliminating the need for external applications. The existing modding tools, accessible via Steam, utilize Larian's Osiris scripting language, allowing for extensive custom content creation, including custom scripts and basic debugging capabilities.

The Future of BG3 Modding: Cross-Platform Compatibility

While Larian initially held back full access to its development tools, a community-created "BG3 Toolkit Unlocked" now offers a level editor and reactivates previously disabled features. Larian is actively pursuing cross-platform modding, acknowledging the complexities involved in ensuring compatibility across PC and consoles. The PC version will receive cross-platform modding support first, with console support following after a period of testing and refinement.

Beyond the modding scene, Patch 7 introduced a wealth of improvements, including enhanced UI, new animations, expanded dialogue options, bug fixes, and performance optimizations. With further updates planned, the future of Baldur's Gate 3 and its thriving modding community looks incredibly bright.