How Long to Beat Baldur’s Gate 3: A Detailed Guide for Gamers

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most anticipated role-playing games (RPGs) in recent years, developed by Larian Studios. Since its early access release, players have been fascinated by the depth of the story, the complex character interactions, and the sheer amount of content the game offers. One of the most common questions from both new players and RPG veterans alike is, “How long does it take to beat Baldur’s Gate 3?” This blog post will delve into the details of game length, offering estimates based on different playstyles and the variety of content available in the game.

What is Baldur’s Gate 3?

Before discussing how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s important to understand what the game is. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a sprawling, story-driven RPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. Players are given immense freedom to explore, make decisions, and shape the story. The game features deep dialogue options, tactical turn-based combat, and extensive branching narratives that are directly influenced by player choices. This level of complexity adds to the overall time required to complete the game, as players may find themselves replaying scenarios or exploring every possible outcome.

How long is the main story?

For players who are mainly focused on the central narrative, the main storyline of Baldur’s Gate 3 is relatively substantial. On average, it takes around 50 to 70 hours to beat the main campaign. However, this estimate can vary based on difficulty settings, familiarity with Dungeons & Dragons mechanics, and the player’s approach to combat. If you’re someone who tends to take your time in conversations and tactical battles, how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3 could be closer to the higher end of that range.

Completionist Playthrough: How Long to 100% the Game?

For completionists—players who want to explore every corner, complete every side quest, and unlock all possible endings—the question of how long to beat Baldur’s Gate 3 becomes even more complex. A full, exhaustive playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 can easily take 100 to 150 hours. The game offers an enormous amount of content outside the main story, including various companion quests, hidden secrets, and multiple branching pathways. As players experiment with different character builds, decisions, and factions, the time investment significantly increases.

How Do Playstyles Affect Game Time?

Another key factor in determining how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3 is your playstyle. If you prefer a more direct approach, focusing solely on the critical path and avoiding optional content, you could finish the game much faster. On the other hand, players who enjoy exploring every dialogue option, participating in all combat encounters, and discovering hidden areas will take much longer to finish the game. Stealthy or cautious players, in particular, may spend additional time carefully navigating tricky encounters.

Does Difficulty Affect How Long to Beat Baldur’s Gate 3?

The difficulty setting in Baldur’s Gate 3 can significantly influence how long it takes to beat the game. On lower difficulty levels, combat is less punishing, allowing players to progress through the game more quickly. However, on higher difficulties like “Tactician,” battles require careful planning, frequent use of resources, and often retries, all of which can extend your playtime. Players opting for harder difficulties will need to spend extra time mastering combat mechanics, which naturally increases how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3.

How Does Multiplayer Impact Game Time?

Playing Baldur’s Gate 3 in multiplayer mode also affects how long it takes to beat the game. When you’re coordinating with friends, decisions might take longer due to group discussions, and combat encounters can become more strategic, requiring additional time to plan. On the flip side, some players may find that working with a team can speed up certain sections, especially when coordinating actions efficiently. However, in general, multiplayer tends to increase the overall time needed to finish the game due to the extra layers of communication and coordination involved.

Early Access vs Full Release: How Time Estimates Changed

During its early access phase, players often asked how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3, but the answer was quite different from what it is today. The early access version only included the first act of the game, which took around 20–25 hours to complete. Now that the full game has been released, with three complete acts and a wealth of new content, the time required to beat the game has expanded significantly. The game’s full release offers a much larger world, deeper narrative branches, and more complex mechanics that contribute to a much longer playtime.

Side quests and optional content: A major time investment

Side quests and optional content can drastically increase how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3. Some of the most compelling stories in the game are hidden away in side quests, which means that players who seek out these missions can expect their playtime to increase by an additional 30-50 hours. These quests also often feature unique rewards, lore, and interactions with companions, making them well worth the time investment for those who want a deeper understanding of the game’s world.

Replaying for Different Endings: Another Factor in Game Time

One of the main reasons players keep asking how long to beat Baldur’s Gate 3 is the sheer number of possible endings and narrative outcomes. Depending on your choices, you can align with different factions, make decisions that shape the fate of entire regions, and even change your companions’ destinies. For players who enjoy replaying RPGs to explore different outcomes, each subsequent playthrough can take 50 to 80 hours, depending on how much content you decide to revisit.

Post-Release Updates and DLC: Will They Add More Time?

Finally, it’s worth considering that post-release updates and potential downloadable content (DLC) could extend how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian Studios has a history of releasing expansions or significant content updates for their games. While nothing has been confirmed yet, if DLC is released in the future, players could expect even more content to explore, adding another 20-40 hours or more to the total playtime.

Conclusion: 

In summary, how long it takes to beat Baldur’s Gate 3 depends on various factors, including your playstyle, difficulty setting, and whether or not you engage with side quests and optional content. For those focusing solely on the main storyline, the game can take around 50 to 70 hours. However, completionists or players looking to explore every aspect of the game will likely spend 100 to 150 hours or more. Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore RPG fan, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a lengthy and immersive experience that is sure to keep you engaged for hours on end.