Baldur's Gate 3 Log Reveals Surprises

Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by releasing a fascinating collection of player statistics, offering a glimpse into the community's diverse gameplay experiences. The data reveals everything from romantic entanglements to bizarre encounters and surprising choices.

Romantic Pursuits in the Forgotten Realms

The stats showcase the significant role romance played in many players' adventures. 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 maintained her popularity (48.8% experienced her final romance scene), while Karlach (17.6%) and Lae'zel (12.9%) also saw significant romantic interactions.

A more adventurous 658,000 players pursued romance with Halsin, with a preference for his human form (70%) over his bear form (30%). Remarkably, 1.1 million players engaged intimately with the Emperor, favoring the Dream Guardian form (63%) over the mind flayer tentacles (37%).

Whimsical Adventures and Unconventional Choices

Beyond romance, players engaged in numerous quirky activities. 1.9 million players transformed into cheese wheels, while 3.5 million befriended dinosaurs and 2 million freed Us from the Colony. Surprisingly, 3,777 players, including Dark Urge characters, spared Alfira, unexpectedly contributing to the game's lute rock soundtrack.

Animal companions also received significant attention: Scratch the dog was petted over 120 million times, and the Owlbear Cub over 41 million. A curious 141,600 players attempted to pet the Emperor's cat—the same number who conquered Honour Mode.

Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences

A remarkable 93% of players created custom characters, highlighting the game's strong character customization options. Among pre-made characters, Astarion (1.21 million players), Gale (1.20 million), and Shadowheart (0.86 million) were the most popular. Interestingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the Dark Urge.

The Paladin class was the most chosen (nearly 10 million players), followed closely by Sorcerer and Fighter (over 7.5 million each). Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, also had substantial representation.

Elves were the most popular race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (12.5 million each). Tieflings (over 10 million), Drow, and Dragonborn (over 7.5 million each) also saw significant popularity. Half-Orcs, Githyanki, and Dwarves were less common but still notable.

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 Diverse Endings

141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat (76% deleted their saves, 24% continued in custom mode).

Players made significant choices: 1.8 million 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 picture of the Baldur's Gate 3 community's diverse and engaging experiences, showcasing both heroic achievements and humorous moments.