Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3is the first game in history to win five major game of the year awards: those from BAFTA, D.I.C.E., Game Developers Choice, Golden Joystick, and The Game Awards. This historic achievement further underlines the massive success thatBaldur’s Gate 3went on to become, especially since that elusive fifth accolade was far from a certainty.
Larian Studios' hit RPG started its impressive GOTY run almost immediately following its August 2023 release, having secured the ultimate accolade at the Golden Joystick Awards in November. The following month sawBaldur’s Gate 3sweep The Game Awardsby winning six of its eight nominations. Larian added the D.I.C.E. and Game Developers Choice GOTY awards to its tally in February and March, 2024, respectively.
The incredible run has now culminated inBaldur’s Gate 3winning five BAFTA awardson April 11, including that for game of the year. In doing so, it has completed a historic quintet of major GOTY awards that no other title has ever collected to date. This achievement was far from a certainty until the very last moment, not least because the BAFTAs have twice already stopped other games from accomplishing whatBaldur’s Gate 3just did.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Achieved What Breath of the Wild, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring Did Not
The last time that happened was only a year ago, whenElden Ringmanaged to secure the first four major GOTY awards, only to lose out toVampire Survivorsat the BAFTAs.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildhad a similar run six years back, having won the same four GOTYs but ultimately lost the biggest BAFTA accolade to Giant Sparrow’s adventureWhat Remains of Edith Finch. In between those two attempts,God of Warwon all but the Golden Joystick GOTY award, which went toFortnite.
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Only three other titles managed to secure more than two major GOTY accolades since 2014, when The Game Awards were established; the 2020 ARPGHadeswon the BAFTA, DICE, and GDC GOTY awards, but lost the other two toThe Last of Us Part 2. Five years earlier,The Witcher 3: Wild Huntwon the GDC, GJA, and TGA accolades, but lost the other two toFallout 4. Blizzard’s 2016 multiplayer shooterOverwatchalso secured three major GOTY awards, but lost toDark Souls 3andUncharted 4at and the GJAs and BAFTAs, respectively.
Even before all the accolades started rolling in, the critical and commercial success of Larian’s latest RPG had many fans clamoring for a sequel. But the Belgium-based studiosays it’s done withBaldur’s Gateand is instead looking to pivot to new projects, presumably based on its own IPs.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
