Baldur's Gate 3 Stats Reveal Surprising Player Interactions

Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by releasing a fascinating collection of player statistics, revealing intriguing choices and gameplay trends. These stats, shared on X (formerly Twitter), offer a captivating look at the community's diverse experiences within the Forgotten Realms.

Romantic Pursuits in the Forgotten Realms

The stats highlight romance as a significant aspect of many players' journeys. A staggering 75 million companion kisses were recorded, with Shadowheart leading the pack at 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% sleeping alone. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity remained strong (48.8% experienced her final romance scene), with Karlach (17.6%) and Lae'zel (12.9%) also popular choices.

A more adventurous 658,000 players engaged in romantic encounters with Halsin, with 70% preferring his human form and 30% his bear form. Furthermore, 1.1 million players pursued romance with the Emperor, with 63% choosing the Dream Guardian form and 37% opting for the mind flayer tentacle experience.

Whimsical Adventures and Quirky Choices

Beyond the epic battles and weighty decisions, players embraced the game's lighter side. A remarkable 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 freed Us from the Colony, demonstrating a fondness for unusual side quests. Even the Dark Urge, known for their dark tendencies, saw 3,777 players find a way to spare Alfira, inadvertently contributing to the game's lute rock soundtrack.

Animal companions also captured players' hearts. Scratch, the loyal dog, received over 120 million pets, likely due to his impeccable fetching 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 irony to the statistic.

Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences

Despite the compelling 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) proved most popular, followed by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). The enigmatic Dark Urge inspired 15% of custom character creations.

The Paladin class emerged as the most popular, with almost 10 million players choosing this path. The Sorcerer and Fighter classes followed closely behind, each exceeding 7.5 million players. Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, also saw significant representation, though fewer than 7.5 million players. Rangers and Clerics trailed behind, with fewer than 5 million players each.

Racial choices were equally diverse, with Elves leading the way (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (both 12.5 million). Tieflings (over 10 million), Drow, and Dragonborn (both over 7.5 million) also proved popular. Half-Orcs, Githyanki, and Dwarves each exceeded 2.5 million, while Gnomes and Halflings had less than 2.5 million selections each. Specific class-race combinations also emerged, with Dwarves favoring Paladins, Dragonborn choosing Sorcerers, Halflings leaning towards Bards and Rogues, and Gnomes and Tieflings exhibiting unique class preferences.

Epic Achievements and Narrative Choices

The stats also highlight significant in-game achievements and narrative choices. 141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat (76% deleted their saves, while 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.

In conclusion, Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary statistics paint a vivid picture of a diverse and engaged player base, showcasing a wide range of gameplay styles, narrative choices, and memorable moments within the Forgotten Realms.