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 number 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 partly due to Patch 7's inclusion of Larian's own Mod Manager. This in-game tool simplifies the process of browsing, installing, and managing mods, enhancing accessibility for players. The existing modding tools, available separately via Steam, utilize Larian's Osiris scripting language, allowing modders to create custom content, scripts, and even perform basic debugging. Direct publishing from the toolkit is also supported.
A significant development, highlighted by PC Gamer, is the emergence of a community-created "BG3 Toolkit Unlocked." This tool, uploaded to Nexus by modder Siegfre, reportedly unlocks a full level editor and reactivates previously restricted features within Larian's editor. This expands modding capabilities beyond what Larian initially intended to publicly release. While Larian prioritizes game development over tool creation, they acknowledge the significant creative freedom afforded to players.
Looking ahead, Larian is actively developing cross-platform modding support, aiming for initial PC compatibility with console support to follow. This ambitious undertaking presents challenges due to the complexities of ensuring compatibility across different platforms and navigating console submission processes.
Beyond the modding boom, Patch 7 delivers a refined gaming experience, boasting improved UI, enhanced animations, expanded dialogue options, and numerous bug fixes and performance optimizations. With further updates planned, the future looks bright for Baldur's Gate 3 and its thriving modding community.
