Skip to main content

Baldur’s Gate 3 drops Series S splitscreen support to release on Xbox in 2023

Jaheira in Baldur's Gate 3.
Larian Studios

Larian Studios promises to release Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Series X/S later this year after pushing the game back because of performance problems on Xbox Series S.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now on PC and will come out for PS5 on September 6, but an Xbox Series X/S version won’t be available for a little bit longer. In a July 2023 community update, developer Larian Studios explained that this is because it needed “to ensure that the game is performing without compromise across the entire Xbox X/S ecosystem, in multiplayer and with split-screen. The Xbox Series X version was running fine, but the Xbox Series S version of the game was struggling a lot more. The Xbox versions of Baldur’s Gate 3 didn’t have a release window until now, when Larian Studios co-founder Swen Vincke took to X to confirm it’d come to Xbox platforms before the end of the year. That said, it will exclude one notable feature.

Recommended Videos

Super happy to confirm that after meeting [Phil Spencer] yesterday, we’ve found a solution that allows us to bring Baldur’s Gate 3 to Xbox players this year still, something we’ve been working towards for quite some time,” Vincke wrote. “All improvements will be there, with split-screen coop on Series X. Series S will not feature split-screen co-op, but will also include cross-save progression between Steam and Xbox Series.”

Thankfully, it looks like Xbox players won’t have to wait too much longer to play this excellent game, but it will be one of the first games to notably drop a major feature between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions. This follows comments by Head of Xbox Phil Spencer where he said he doesn’t believe Microsoft will drop support for Xbox Series S in the foreseeable future. “I want to make sure games are available on both, that’s our job as a platform holder and we’re committed to that with our partners,” Spencer told Eurogamer. “And I think we’re gonna get there with Larian. So I’m not overly worried about that, but we’ve learned some stuff through it. Having an entry-level price point for console, sub-$300, is a good thing for the industry.”
 
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now for PC, launches for PS5 on September 6, and will finally come out for Xbox Series X/S before the end of 2023.
Tomas Franzese
As a Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Larian teases its new evil Baldur’s Gate 3 endings
Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3.

Baldur's Gate 3 will be getting new evil endings for players who want to see their characters and companions suffer. Developer Larian Studios revealed a teaser on X (formerly Twitter) for one of these new endings, which are all accompanied by new cinematics.

This one is specifically for the Dark Urge, whose background is summarized as: "You remember nothing but a path paved with blood. Unimaginable cruelty whispers to you from within. Can you escape it? Would you even want to?"

Read more
The best Xbox Series X games for 2024
halo infinite season delay team

The Xbox Series X and S had no small task in trying to compete with the best PS5 games and the best Switch games at the same time. While it did get off to a slow start for the generation, its library has exploded with games thanks to all of the studios under its umbrella.

There's no shortage of games to play on either console thanks to Xbox Game Pass, which gives players immediate access to a library of titles old and new. That catalog offers extra value on top of all the new games available on the system that take advantage of its impressive technical specs. When it comes to first-party exclusives, the Series X is still growing. Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 gave a good boost to the console's library following a somewhat sparse first year. More games are also on the way from its massive first-party group that now includes all of Bethesda and Activision.

Read more
One of the PS5’s best exclusives is coming to Xbox, and it’s still great
Key art for Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

There has been a lot of talk this year about Xbox console exclusives like Hi-Fi Rush, As Dusk Falls, and Sea of Thieves going multiplatform and being readily available on the PlayStation 5 as a result. For once, we're seeing that process work the other way around.

Next week, Ember Labs will release Kena: Bridge of Spirits on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. This game has a reputation as being one of the best-looking PS5 exclusives. Having gone hands-on with its Xbox Series X port, I can say that Kena: Bridge of Spirits is just as good as it's ever been on the new platform. If you never had a chance to try Kena: Bridge of Spirits because you don't own a PS5, this Xbox port gives you the perfect excuse to check out this memorable adventure.

Read more