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You won’t see Baldur’s Gate 3 coming to Xbox Game Pass anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean Larian studios won’t partner with Xbox eventually.
You Probably Won’t See BG3 on Game Pass
Larian has said repeatedly that Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) is not coming to Xbox Game Pass. While they have no intention to in the immediate future, it’s possible it could end up on Game Pass at a later date. For those who aren’t familiar, Game Pass is a subscription service that gives subscribers access to every game on the platform. It’s great for gaining exposure, boosting micro-transaction sales, and driving additional revenue to the company.
Benefits aside, there are a few reasons why Baldur’s Gate 3 wouldn’t benefit Larian Studios right now.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Very Successful
While many successful games do very well on Game Pass, it’s worth mentioning that BG3 is an incredibly successful game. Touted as one of the “biggest surprise hits of the last decade” by The Gamer, BG3 is doing very well on its own. It’s obvious why Xbox would benefit from landing Baldur’s Gate 3 on Game Pass. That still doesn’t necessarily mean Larian Studios would benefit from the partnership.
After a Q3 release, Baldur’s Gate 3 managed to bring in an estimated $650 million in 2023 sales on a budget of $100 million, snagging six awards at the Game Awards including Game of the Year.
Larian Studios Doesn’t Intend to Partner with Game Pass
Precedent also isn’t in Game Pass’s favor. During an interview with Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke, he claimed they’ve stated from the beginning the game is not going to be on Game Pass. This is primarily because Larian has focused on packing as much value as possible into the full-game purchase.
BG3 currently retails for $59.99 on Steam. Unlike many game purchases nowadays, that price buys you full access to everything in the game. There also are no micro-transactions. That feels very refreshing in an industry that always feels like you’re being asked to swipe a card to unlock additional content, even if it’s just cosmetic.
That leaves a pretty strong precedent that we won’t see BG3 coming to Game Pass anytime soon, but you shouldn’t count out the possibility entirely.
BG3 Value and Pricing Model
Since Larian Studios packed so much value into the full-price of the game, they won’t benefit nearly as much from partnering with Xbox.
Larian has also continued to improve Baldur’s Gate 3 without additional costs to the players. The recent addition of BG3 Patch 6 included a major update on the game that actually felt like Larian listened to the player base. While you shouldn’t expect major DLCs in the future to be free, the pricing model with no in game micro-transactions has garnered a lot of trust with players.
What Makes a Game Pass game effective?
The primary reason a game would want to be on Game Pass is to significantly boost the active player population.
Many Game Pass games benefit from that increased player base through micro-transactions and commissions. Though less players are purchasing the game, micro-transactions result in a net revenue increase. Since many Game Pass subscribers wouldn’t play the game if it weren’t included in their existing subscription, companies gain access to a new market.
Microsoft also pays game developers a commission to place their game on Game Pass. While these contracts aren’t public, developers make money from Microsoft when people download their game and play it.
This makes it tangibly valuable for the companies putting their games on Game Pass. The developers who benefit the most from being on Game Pass focus heavily on DLCs and micro-transactions.
Does Baldur’s Gate 3 Fit on Xbox Game Pass?
In its current state, no, Baldur’s Gate 3 does not fit the Game Pass model.
There are no micro-transactions or DLCs that increase Larian’s revenue. BG3 is also already available for players to buy on Xbox. The only way Larian would substantially benefit from Game Pass is through hefty commissions paid when people to download and play through Game Pass. The problem is that shrinks the population of people who are willing to pay the $59.99 to purchase the game. Many players would instead play BG3 through their subscription instead of buying the game.
While Larian would expand the player base, they would also lose out on game purchases.
That doesn’t mean BG3 will never be on Game Pass, however. The longer the game is out, the less people will purchase the game if they haven’t already. In a few years time, when DLCs are available and they’re looking to decrease the cost of BG3, it will make more and more sense to put BG3 on Xbox Game Pass.
At that time, we might see Baldur’s Gate 3 on Game Pass.
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