With the latest patch announcement for Baldur's Gate 3, it is fair to assume it may be the game's final update. Developer Larian Studios has been hard at work even a whole year after the game's full original release, perfecting the game with fixes and additional content all for free. With such an expansive and detailed game like this giant of an RPG title, players have been spoiled with content. What is in store for next year is huge for the game, but it could also be marking the final stretch of what is left to add.

The update, revealed as Patch 8, is planned for a 2025 release and will introduce additions like a Photo Mode, cross-play between platforms, and 12 new subclasses. With the amount of free updates that Larian has added to the game, the dedication and care put into creating an in-depth experience is clear. The studio has continuously proven its love for Baldur's Gate 3, but the rate at which new things are coming out is sure to slow down eventually, and it is looking like the next update could be the last.

Patch 8 Is The Last Major Baldur's Gate 3 Update

The Biggest Promises From Larian Are Being Delivered

The promised contents of Patch 8 contain the last major updates that Larian had previously confirmed to be in the works — Photo Mode and the highly anticipated cross-platform play. This could mean that the next Community Update might be the last major update for Baldur's Gate 3, and the wording in the Community Update announcement on Steam s that conclusion, calling Patch 8 "one more major patch" before Larian says farewell to the world of Faerûn.

Other than what is already on the way, there isn't much in the way of missing core features that Larian needs to be working on. The active development of the game is likely to slow within the next year as the studio moves on, as it has expressed that Baldur's Gate 4 will not be its next game.

Additional content that continues to surprise players, like the addition of 12 new subclasses, are treats that could be slowing down as well. It is clear that Larian is extremely dedicated to listening to the community around its game, so the free updates that have been available truly cater to the fans. Sadly, there will be a point where Larian moves on to other projects, but it's sure to showcase the same dedication toward whatever games are lined up as it has toward Baldur's Gate 3.

BG3 Might Still Get Smaller Fixes In The Future

Smaller Updates Will Probably Keep Coming To Baldur's Gate 3

This does not mean there will be no more updates for Baldur's Gate 3, as minor patches and hotfixes that fix smaller issues in the future could still be on the table. With a game on such a large scale, there will always be small things that the studio needs to go through. This is seen in every update in the patch notes, where things like dialogue edits, animation changes, and bug fixes are part of the long list of changes. Even over a year after the full release, there are still fixes being made for practical and smooth gameplay.

There is also the addition of the mod toolkit, which Larian may have to keep an eye on for a while. The new toolkit and mod updates, which were introduced in Patch 7, are sure to get additional attention throughout the coming year. It will be unsurprising if there are future updates that are solely dedicated to polishing and monitoring the toolkit and mod manager. However, this is another area with no clear larger updates that are needed, so it brings more certainty that large updates for Baldur's Gate 3 are coming to an end.

The Patch 8 may very well be the final major update to Baldur's Gate 3, slowly leading to the last additions to the game entirely. With introducing the last of the promised features, and a little extra content, it is likely that Larian is reaching the end of finalizing the game. Despite the likelihood of smaller fix updates that clean up bugs and smaller flaws that need attention within the near future, Larian is turning its overall attention to other games in development, a shift that may be finalized sooner than some players may wish.

Source: Steam