Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by releasing fascinating player statistics, offering a glimpse into player preferences and in-game choices. The data reveals a diverse range of playstyles, from romantic entanglements to bizarre encounters.
Romantic Pursuits in the Forgotten Realms
Larian's Twitter (X) post unveiled a wealth of romantic data. Over 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 with Shadowheart, 13.5% with Karlach, and 15.6% choosing solitude. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity soared to 48.8% for her final romance scene, compared to 17.6% with Karlach and 12.9% with Lae'zel.
A more adventurous 658,000 players pursued romance with Halsin, with 70% preferring his human form and 30% his bear form. An astonishing 1.1 million players engaged intimately with the Emperor, with a 63/37 split between Dream Guardian and mind flayer forms.
Whimsical Adventures and Quirky Choices
Beyond romance, players indulged in unusual activities. 1.9 million players became cheese wheels, highlighting the game's playful mechanics. Friendly dinosaurs received 3.5 million visits, and 2 million players liberated Us from the Colony. Remarkably, at least 3,777 Dark Urge players spared Alfira, unexpectedly contributing to the game's lute rock soundtrack.
Animal companions also played a significant role. Scratch the dog received over 120 million pets, while the Owlbear Cub garnered 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 significant 93% of players created custom characters, showcasing the game's robust character customization. Among pre-made characters, Astarion was most popular (1.21 million), followed by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). Interestingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the Dark Urge.
Paladin was the most popular class (nearly 10 million), followed closely by Sorcerer and Fighter (over 7.5 million each). Other classes had a substantial but smaller following.
Elves were the most chosen race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (12.5 million each). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also had significant representation.
Specific class-race combinations emerged: Dwarves favored Paladins (20%), Dragonborn preferred Sorcerers, Halflings chose Bards and Rogues, 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 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 34 players experienced Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection.
These statistics paint a vivid picture of Baldur's Gate 3's diverse and engaging player base, highlighting both the epic achievements and the whimsical moments that define their journeys.
