It doesn’t sound like Baldur’s Gate 3 will be on Game Pass anytime soon - if ever

The first games coming to during January 2024 have been revealed as we enter into the new year. Due to the small number of new releases over the next couple of weeks, the list consists of older games, including some that are returning to the service for another stint.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Baldur's Gate 3 has claimed the Game of the Year award in the 2023 Steam Awards, along with the crown for Outstanding Story-Rich Game. It probably would have won even more, but the Steam Awards rules limit games to nominations in a maximum of two categories, presumably to avoid any across-the-board ass-kickings.

Before its release, promised to include 17,000 different endings — but does it really? There's undeniably a ton of player choice and variation in the game. There are even hundreds of contingencies and failsafes in case players try to break . It wouldn't be too much of a stretch at all to say there are thousands of different ways its story can play out, but 17,000 endings is an entirely different kind of claim.

Having logged somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 hours (not accounting for my shameless overuse of save scumming), I feel like my playtime pales in comparison to pretty much everyone else playing Baldur's Gate 3. And even so, principal narrative designer Lawrence Schick expects the RPG to continue yielding new discoveries, including by the developers themselves, for literal years to come.

The year is coming to a close and Microsoft may have one more surprise up its sleeve as it seems that may leave soon. Some players have received notifications that the game will be one of three due to leave the service on December 31, but only two of those have been confirmed by Microsoft.

Larian Studios has explained why Baldur’s Gate 3 might never come to Xbox‘s Game Pass subscription service.

In my first playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3, not long after making it to the city that makes up the massive RPG's final act, one of the villains kidnapped Lae'zel. And while I didn't put off rescuing her for too long, I also didn't rush it. Don't look at me like that, this was in-character—I was playing Shadowheart.

The Game Awards has come and gone again, with 2023's show proving somewhat contentious, depending on who you ask. Something that became increasingly apparent as the show progressed was the pressure winners appeared to be under to wrap things up. Even Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke, who managed to snag Game of the Year with Baldur's Gate 3, appeared to be whisked off the stage after around 30 seconds, surprisingly spry in a suit of armour.

After a period of some uncertainty, Baldur’s Gate 3 is now available on Xbox Series X/S, which begs the question – could the smash hit RPG ever end up on Xbox Game Pass? Baldur’s Gate 3 is exactly the kind of high-engagement title that could potentially drive long-term Game Pass subscriptions, so I’m sure Microsoft would love it, but according to Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke, it’s not happening.

Swen Vincke, the director of Baldur’s Gate 3 and CEO of Larian Studios, has spoken out about the role-playing game’s lack of Xbox Game Pass release, saying that it was a decision made «from the get-go.»

Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian decided "from the get-go" that the mammoth RPG wouldn't be coming to Xbox or PC Game Pass, and that isn't going to change.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is now available on Xbox Series platforms, but don’t expect the game to make its way to Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service anytime soon.