Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by releasing a fascinating collection of player statistics, offering a unique insight into player preferences and in-game choices. These stats, shared on Twitter (X), reveal everything from romantic entanglements to bizarre occurrences and character preferences.
Romantic Pursuits in the Forgotten Realms
The statistics reveal romance was a significant aspect of 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 with Shadowheart, 13.5% with Karlach, and 15.6% choosing solitude. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity continued (48.8% experienced her final romance scene), while 17.6% romanced Karlach, and 12.9% shared a tender moment with Lae'zel.
More adventurous players engaged in intimate encounters with Halsin (658,000 players), with 70% choosing his human form and 30% his bear form. An impressive 1.1 million players interacted romantically with the Emperor, with 63% preferring the Dream Guardian form and 37% opting for the mind flayer tentacle experience.
Whimsical Adventures and Quirky Choices
Beyond romance, players engaged in a variety of unusual activities. 1.9 million players transformed into cheese wheels, showcasing the game's playful mechanics. Friendly dinosaurs received 3.5 million visits, and 2 million players freed Us from the Colony, highlighting a fondness for side quests. Remarkably, at least 3,777 Dark Urge players spared Alfira, unexpectedly contributing to the game's lute rock prevalence.
Animal companions were also popular. Scratch the dog received over 120 million pets, likely due to his fetching skills, while the Owlbear Cub received over 41 million. Interestingly, 141,600 players attempted to pet the Emperor's cat – the same number who conquered Honour Mode.
Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences
Despite the appeal of pre-made characters, a remarkable 93% of players created custom avatars. Among the pre-made characters, Astarion (1.21 million players) was the most popular, followed by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). 15% of custom avatars were based on the Dark Urge.
The Paladin class was the most chosen (nearly 10 million players), followed by Sorcerer and Fighter (both over 7.5 million). Other classes had significant representation, but none reached the 7.5 million mark.
Elves were the most popular race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (both 12.5 million). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also had significant numbers.
Specific class-race combinations were also favored. Dwarves often chose Paladin (20%), Dragonborn favored Sorcerer, Halflings preferred Bard and Rogue, Gnomes favored Bards and Druids, and Tieflings balanced between Paladin, Barbarian, and Warlock.
Epic Achievements and Story Outcomes
141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat (76% deleted their saves, 24% continued in custom mode).
1.8 million players betrayed the Emperor, 329,000 convinced Orpheus to remain a mind flayer, and 3.3 million killed the Netherbrain (200,000 with Gale's sacrifice). A rare outcome saw 34 players experience Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection by Vlaakith.
These statistics paint a vivid portrait of Baldur's Gate 3's diverse and engaging community. From grand achievements to humorous moments, players have created a rich and memorable experience within the Forgotten Realms.
