Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by releasing a fascinating collection of player statistics, revealing intriguing choices and gameplay patterns. These stats, shared on X (formerly Twitter), offer a captivating glimpse into the community's diverse experiences within the Forgotten Realms.
Romantic Pursuits in the Forgotten Realms
The statistics highlight the significant role romance played in many players' journeys. A staggering 75 million companion kisses were recorded, with Shadowheart receiving the most (27 million), followed by Astarion (15 million) and Minthara (169,937). Act 1's celebratory night saw 32.5% of players choosing Shadowheart, 13.5% opting for Karlach, and 15.6% choosing solitude. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity persisted, with 48.8% experiencing her final romance scene, compared to 17.6% with Karlach and 12.9% with Lae'zel.
A more adventurous 658,000 players engaged in romantic encounters with Halsin, with a preference for his human form (70%) over his bear form (30%). Remarkably, 1.1 million players pursued intimacy with the Emperor, with 63% favoring the Dream Guardian form and 37% embracing the mind flayer tentacle experience.
Whimsical Adventures and Unconventional Choices
Beyond the epic narratives, players engaged in a multitude of humorous activities. 1.9 million players transformed into cheese wheels, showcasing the game's playful mechanics. Friendly dinosaurs received 3.5 million visits, while 2 million players liberated Us from the Colony, demonstrating a fondness for quirky side quests. Surprisingly, at least 3,777 players, even those playing the Dark Urge, found a way to spare Alfira, inadvertently fostering the spread of lute rock within the game.
Animal companions also played a significant role. Scratch, the loyal canine, received over 120 million pets, likely due to his impeccable fetch skills. The Owlbear Cub garnered over 41 million pets. Interestingly, 141,600 players attempted to pet His Majesty, the cat—the same number who conquered Honour Mode, adding a touch of whimsy to the statistics.
Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences
Despite the appeal of pre-made characters, a remarkable 93% of players created custom avatars, highlighting the desire for personalized heroes. Among the pre-made characters, Astarion (1.21 million players) was the most popular, followed closely by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). Intriguingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the enigmatic Dark Urge.
The Paladin class dominated, with nearly 10 million players choosing this path. Sorcerers and Fighters followed closely, each exceeding 7.5 million players. Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, had substantial representation, though fewer than 7.5 million. Rangers and Clerics trailed behind.
Elves were the most popular race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (both around 12.5 million). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also had significant representation (over 7.5 million each). Half-Orcs, Githyanki, and Dwarves were less common but still notable (over 2.5 million each), while Gnomes and Halflings had fewer players. Specific class-race combinations also revealed interesting preferences, such as Dwarves favoring Paladins and Dragonborn choosing Sorcerers.
Epic Achievements and Narrative Choices
141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, demonstrating exceptional skill. Conversely, 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat, with 76% of those players deleting their saves and 24% continuing in custom mode.
Players faced difficult choices, with 1.8 million betraying the Emperor and 329,000 convincing Orpheus to remain a mind flayer. A significant 3.3 million players killed the Netherbrain, with 200,000 involving Gale's sacrifice. A rare outcome saw 34 players experience Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection by Vlaakith.
The anniversary statistics paint a vibrant picture of Baldur's Gate 3's diverse community, showcasing a wide range of achievements, choices, and playful interactions within the game's rich world.
