350°

Baldur's Gate 3 Getting Performance Improvements on PC and PS5 Thanks to Optimization Done for Xbox

Both the PC and PS5 versions of Baldur's Gate 3 will get performance improvements with the next patch, and that's thanks to all the optimization work done for the Xbox Series X|S port.

Obscure_Observer239d ago

One can only wonder how the PS5 getting performance improvements thanks to the Series S is even possible since according to some people, that console is not a current gen console. /S

Anyway, amazing work by a very talent non-lazy developers at Larian Studios!

I can´t wait to play BG3 on my SX!

Babadook7239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

It’s ironic isn’t it? Nothing to do with the S being a capable machine. Quite the opposite. But the game needed optimization and were getting it now. Had there never been an S we might have got it sooner as it certainly would've freed up developers and testers.

Notellin239d ago

Such spectacular insight @Babadook7!

This is why I'm thankful that Microsoft bought all those developers so we could get updates faster. Having to develop for PlayStation too was holding back all those developers and Microsoft finally freed them up.

/s

anast239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

He/she got you there @Obscure.

Neonridr239d ago

or you may never have gotten it..

StarkR3ality239d ago

Tbf, that's what a lot of what Digital foundry have said, having a baseline as the S means that Devs have to optimise for that, and those optimisations get passed up to the Series X and PS5.

Overall I've not really been impressed with this consoles gen in regards to performance anyway, most are 30fps locked now and to get to 60fps a lot of titles offer below par image quality, it's why I decided to jump to PC as my main and PS5 for exclusives. 720p in some titles 3 years in just isn't excusable to me.

darthv72239d ago

@dook... Larian may have not found the problem and left things the way they are had it not been for tweaking and optimizing the S version. It was by pure accident they found the problem in the first place as they felt things were just hunky dory on the PS5 and SX versions having ported from the PC.

Babadook7239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

@darthv72

Thanks for the comment. But I disagree about Lorian optimizing because of the S. They knew there was a big problem since the PC version shipped, or even before that. And yes, they struggled for a long time with the S version specifically, but not all of that was helpful in the long run. It's tough to say whether the S actually helped the other platforms overall, or hindered them, because the "S" certainly seems to have used a lot of resources.

--Onilink--239d ago

Whats the point of disagreeing with the comment here when the tweet confirming the work on the Xbox version allowed the improvements comes directly from someone in Larian?

This isnt really speculation about whether it happened that way or not, they are the ones saying it did

Babadook7239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

@Onilink

I don’t know who is directly disagreeing with Larian here? Can you be specific?

Obscure_Observer239d ago

"Had there never been an S we might have got it sooner as it certainly would've freed up developers and testers."

Highly unlikely. There wasn´t an Xbox Series S holding the PS5 version back and split-screen mode on PS5 still end up running like crap.

It was the Series S optimizations that made it possible to PS5 to have better performance, that´s what the developers said themselves, so armchair developers on N4G got slapped in the face from Larian themselves.

I mean, the weaker console that were supposed to hold back the generation actually end up helping the more powerful ones.

You can´t make sh!t It is what it is.

Babadook7239d ago (Edited 238d ago )

@obscure_observer

“Highly unlikely. There wasn´t an Xbox Series S holding the PS5 version back and split-screen mode on PS5 still end up running like crap.”

Very likely. There was indeed a major attempt to develop and launch the S version with PS5 version. That sucked dev time, therefore just because they failed to launch on that platform does not prove your point. It’s evidence for mine.

“It was the Series S optimizations that made it possible to PS5 to have better performance, that´s what the developers said themselves, so armchair developers on N4G got slapped in the face from Larian themselves.”

It wasn’t S optimizations that made it “possible”. Poor choice of words. It was work done on Xbox that applied to other versions as well. The same thing happens all the time and most likely happened the other way too, while optimizing for ps5 and pc. Theres nothing magical about working on S that gives you free PS5 optimizations. I’m an actual game dev, you seem extremely ignorant about how this stuff works.

“I mean, the weaker console that were supposed to hold back the generation actually end up helping the more powerful ones.”

Nope. Larian never said that S is helping here more than it’s hindering.

maniacmayhem238d ago

What's even funnier, is that it's LITERALLY and actually Larian studios saying thanks to the Xbox for the optimizations coming to the PC and PS5 and we still have people on this site that says it has nothing to do with that.

Babadook7238d ago (Edited 238d ago )

“LITERALLY and actually Larian studios saying thanks to the Xbox for the optimizations coming to the PC and PS5“

Link or quote?

--Onilink--238d ago

“link or quote”

How about literally the tweet that this entire article was made from….

Again, this isnt some random person saying it, its the head of publishing at Larian…

Babadook7238d ago (Edited 238d ago )

This one?

Larian:
"What’s more, performance improvements are coming to both PC and PS5 on behalf of all the work that’s gone into optimising for Xbox"

Notice how different that is form what maniacmayhem quoted.

“LITERALLY and actually "Larian studios saying thanks to the Xbox for the optimizations coming to the PC and PS5“"

It isn't "thanks to" xbox at all. It's thanks to Larian! IE; their work! Which is what I just quoted above him!

Me
"It was work done on Xbox that applied to other versions as well. "

But keep trying you blind biased fanboys. LOL

maniacmayhem238d ago

@babadook

You are desperately trying hard to not give any credit to Xbox. Even when multiple articles have stated they have and the actual quote says otherwise.

"What’s more, performance improvements are coming to both PC and PS5 on behalf of all the work that’s gone into optimising for Xbox."

Because of their work on Xbox, getting things to run smoothly there. They were able to take that work and transfer that over to PS5 which also has a number of performance issues.

You can actually read about it here,

https://www.ign.com/article...

**It isn't "thanks to" xbox at all. It's thanks to Larian! IE; their work! Which is what I just quoted above him!**

Would those improvements have came without work on Xbox...maybe, maybe not...but we're making conclusions on what actually happened and right now Larien is contributing the performance work on S for the improvements going into PS5

Nobody is taking anything away from Larien or saying something different.

**But keep trying you blind biased fanboys. LOL**

...Irony...

Babadook7238d ago (Edited 238d ago )

“Would those improvements have came without work on Xbox...maybe, maybe not...”

Exactly. More or less what I said all along. So stop trying to say that S is helping newer gen consoles. Thats pure speculation at best and at worst, nonesense.

And also, you xboners could not show the contradiction between what Larian and I said. It was you guys misquoting, and putting words in their mouth.

Babadook7238d ago (Edited 238d ago )

“Nobody is taking anything away from Larien or saying something different.“

This quote from you is very different.

“LITERALLY and actually Larian studios saying thanks to the Xbox“

They said no such thing. It was wishful thinking from the Xbox fanboys including you maniac

+ Show (14) more repliesLast reply 238d ago
Games1st239d ago

It's from fixing a bug they made that they applies to all platforms.

Einhander1972239d ago

Well done Series S you delayed the launch and caused 4 months of extra work for Larian... I'm sure they wouldn't have rather used that time doing other things...

And I still haven't heard them say the game is going to have split screen or any other missing features, and getting it to run doesn't mean it runs well....

Mr_cheese239d ago

Obscurer knew the answer to what they typed.

It's pretty simple. If you're forced to truly optimise a game to play on the weakest system then that same optimisation can be used to make the same game run even better on the more efficiently powerful ones.

Great news for all games to be honest.

StoneTitan239d ago

What did anyone exbex from you ey. You dont even know what you are talking about.
That said, Larian did not optimize this game very well. So looking forward to some more optimization.

mkis007239d ago

You are talking about the console that delayed the xbox release...idk what your point is frankly.

Obscure_Observer239d ago

"You are talking about the console that delayed the xbox release...idk what your point is frankly."

Thanks to the Series S optimizations, we gonna get a better and improved BG3 port on Series X than you had on your PS5 at release!

We might be getting the game later, but I rather have a more polished BG3 on my Series X than the version that we got on PS5 on release.

We not getting some hindered or downgraded port because of the Series S like some armchair developers on N4G were predicting. We´ll be getting a superior port instead thanks to the little guy S.

So eggs in their faces.

That´s my point and my opinion.

Mr_cheese238d ago

How can it be superior if the changes will be reflected across the board?

-Foxtrot239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

The reason the Series S is providing these benefits to other versions is because they are literally working non stop trying to find a way around the shitty Series S specs so it can run on the console. They succeeded because they’ve went the extra mile, probably some deal or whatever with MS over their parity rule and because of trying even harder they’ve discovered some things.

If it ran kind of okay on the Series S where they didn’t have to look into it and it was released at the same time as the other versions these things wouldn’t have been discovered.

Sephiroushin239d ago

It doesn't take a Genius to know that If you optimize a game to run on a toaster it will perform better everywhere else as well …

Chevalier239d ago

Exactly if it wasn't an issue like Observer suggests then gamers on Xbox would already be playing this instead of waiting

Soulsborne239d ago

Ironic how an entire platform cant play GOTY because of poor decisions by M$, but youre used to it arent you

KwietStorm_BLM239d ago

I'm convinced you're just on here trolling 24hrs a day and watching people fall for it. There's no other explanation for these things you say.

CombatEmu239d ago

"I can´t wait to play BG3 on my SX!"

Considering how much time you dedicate on this site (and who knows how long on others), yeah... I'm pressing X to doubt on this one.

maniacmayhem239d ago

What's funny is, a lot of people (especially on this site) don't realize that BG3 didn't particularly run very well on PS5. The co-op split screen that some here were so concerned for, ran like trash and considerably dropped the framerate of the game.

So these optimizations and improvements are an actual good thing, so thanks to them spending more time on the S and figuring it out.

mjchitown239d ago

53 clowns who dislike your comment eating crow

239d ago
Babadook7239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

@Above.

I don’t know who is directly disagreeing with Larian here? Can you be specific?

Binarycode239d ago

I would more likely say, since both Consoles use similar architecture and AMD hardware that any main code that is nothing to do with DIRECTX would transfer over.

itsmebryan239d ago

Xbox to PS5 and PC. " Your welcome. Enjoy. "😉

FPS_D3TH239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

It isn’t a current gen console. It literally cannot keep up and has to sacrifice features lmao. Cope.

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mkis007239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

"downgraded port because of the Series S like some armchair developers on N4G were predicting. We´ll be getting a superior port instead thanks to the little guy S. "

Uh? Did they not drop split screen from the s version? Thats very much a downgrade.

At least it might come after launch...but you dont like that according to your comment.

Kyizen239d ago

Yeah devs had to waste time and effort on getting the game to work on the S

Kaze88238d ago

@Obscure_Observer like you said multiple times XS is not hindering development of games

Larian had to:
- delay the game on Xbox
- get special permission from Xbox to drop the parity to loose coop on the XS
- do extra 3-4 months work on the XS to make it work properly

I think that is very indicative that XS is hindering development. Also even if there was a PS4 or Switch or X0 version coming out, optimizations learned from there could apply to PS5 and PC. Just because investing extra development XS yielded better performance improvements upwards to other means nothing of the sorts that XS is a full current gen console.

Mr_cheese238d ago

This also proves that the parity clause can't be enforced 100% of the time because of their weaker system which means any big games that struggle will ultimately be accommodated for by Microsoft to ensure that they don't lose out in the long run.

+ Show (20) more repliesLast reply 238d ago
Rimeskeem239d ago

Wonder how long it would have taken if the S didn't exist.

"I can tell a lot of these were 'finally, we did *this*!'"

XiNatsuDragnel239d ago

If the S didn't exist imo this game would have been out the door imo.

sparky77239d ago

Series S continuing to make this generation of games better :)

andy85239d ago

This has to be a parody 😂😂

jznrpg239d ago

Wow. You guys will spin anything

Jin_Sakai239d ago (Edited 239d ago )

“Series S continuing to make this generation of games better :)“

More like causing delays and more work from developers just to get the game out the door.

itsmebryan239d ago

@jin
You forgot " More like causing delays and more work from the developers just to get the game right. " That's better.

Show all comments (77)
120°

BG3 is still seeing 100k concurrent players, proving that not every game needs to be live-service

With so many live-service games to choose from it can be incredibly overwhelming to decide what to play these days.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
just_looken21h ago

Gta from 2008 can at times have ten times the player count than suicide squad 2024.

gtaiv
https://steamdb.info/app/12...

SS
https://steamdb.info/app/31...

There is a pool of players that want to be milked bdsm style that pool is not growing as fast as the amount of players that are needed to support so many of these live service titles. The limited time crap is also a chore for alot of users like how diablo 4 forces user's to max out a character every 3 months to get the new gear.

andy8521h ago

Not surprised. Probably the most attention to detail in a game ever.

Popsicle13h ago

I have 300 hours in the game, and while I see why it isn’t for everyone, I never played a game with such freedom and attention to detail. The world feels alive in a way I have personally never experienced.

On a side note, my wife has never liked video games, but I got her to try this one. She now has 150+ hours in the game. It took 17 years, but I can now share one of my favorite hobbies with her. Amazing game!

CrimsonWing6917h ago

I think GaaS proves not every game needs to be GaaS. Sony’s finding this out the hard way.

StormSnooper14h ago

How about MS? Their games are almost all gaas.

CrimsonWing6912h ago(Edited 12h ago)

I mean, that’s like picking on the special needs kid. MS hasn’t been doing so hot since they launched that sh*t show of an Xbox One. In their defense their exclusives coming up look a lot hotter than say Concord, Marathon, or whatever that GaaS Heist game Sony has.

My point was less console wars and more that GaaS is the most volatile of all models of games to produce. Jim Ryan made it an initiative to double down on them. I see far more failure than success and yet these scum bags keep pushing it almost out of spite for most of them not being supported. It’s pretty revolting to be honest. There’s literally ONLY one reason GaaS exists and it’s pretty damn greedy reason.

VersusDMC11h ago

What did Sony find out with the 12 million sales of Helldivers 2? And we didn't even find out yet with Concord as it hasn't released yet.

And is every PS5 exclusive this year GaaS? Check your math on that.

CrimsonWing6910h ago(Edited 10h ago)

First off, pull your head out of Sony’s ass. There’s no math to check. I said Jim Ryan’s focus on GaaS. So, work on your reading comprehension skills.

While we’re at it, since I know this is going to twist into an Irrational discussion, let’s just table this for when Concord releases. I get that it’ll ruffle fanboys feathers.

I only name dropped Sony because of their GaaS focus and, well you’re on this site quite frequently, let me know the ratio of Concord negativity articles to the positive ones…

I’m also shocked at the support for GaaS. This is why we’re at this point in the industry, though.

VersusDMC9h ago

@crimson

Who is supporting GaaS?

I'm just pushing back on your statement that "every game is GaaS". Which is obviously brain dead looking at the single player games Sony published or had exclusively released so far this year compared to live service. And after Concord there's Astro Bot and Silent Hill 2.

And Helldivers 2 is clearly the game the devs wanted to make and Firewalk is a self proclaimed multiplayer game studio so they wouldn't have made a game you wanted to play anyways.

So take your head out of your own ass and stop with the hyperbole.

CrimsonWing697h ago(Edited 7h ago)

First off, “the every game as GaaS” was staying on the same line as the article title, “proving that not EVERY game needs to be live-service.”

I mean, holy sh*t, why get a wild hare up your a** over that? You saw me mention Sony, which I did over Concord’s reception and the fact that they have plans for more GaaS, and you totally go into defensive fanboy mode.

“Who’s supporting GaaS?”

Literally brings up how successful Helldivers 2 is.

It’s like impossible to discuss anything with fanboys because as soon as they pull away from swallowing Sony’s gravy they’re so out of touch with any negative fact over their precious brand that it just turns into a sh*t show to have any sensible discourse.

Facts: reception to GaaS games are mostly negative than positive.

Facts: More GaaS fail over GaaS games that do succeed.

Facts: Concord is getting poor reception

Facts: Sony has a bunch more GaaS in the pipeline.

So, yea get your head out of Sony’s ass and learn to interpret and comprehend what’s being said instead of losing your sh*t and claiming hyperbole. It’s super f*cking annoying.

VersusDMC6h ago

You're just a baby that throws tantrums when a game genre comes out that you don't like.

And when you see one be unpopular you claim they all are so they stop making it like a child without considering there are people that like these kind of games and would like new ones. I don't like them. But i'm not a narcissist to go out and demand people stop making that type of game.

You have the same mentality as the executives that closed down Japan studio. "They don't sell, nobody likes them, spread the devs to other studios to make games that people actually like and buy."

Sony had one break records and one that might bomb. That won't stop them from making more. So keep seething.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 6h ago
Furesis14h ago

What? Live service is there to milk money. Even if BG3 had 5 mil concurrent players it still wouldn't generate any extra money, that is the point of live service and for u to not own anything. BG3 being popular will sell more copies sure but this is not the point. And this is one of the best and biggest game in recent history of course it will have good numbers, it is relatively new too. I get what you are getting at but you are kinda brute forcing your point. Kinda of a no brainer take anyway tbh

phoenixwing11h ago

What dumb sh!t article and thinking is this that concurrent players means a thing worth talking about? It has zero influence on how much lifetime money these companies make. Bg3 sold millions of copies at 60 dollars a pop and made bank. Having a bunch of players later on revisiting the game does little to say anything other than ppl like to play it. If the numbers go down compared to a live service game it makes no difference.

Tldr: concurrent players means nothing for single player games amd this article is a waste of time on what must have been a slow news day

Christopher6h ago

Are we arguing for company profit or for player happiness?

phoenixwing2h ago

It doesn't show player happiness either only a snapshot of ppl liking to play it at that point in time. It makes nonsense

Christopher1h ago

***It doesn't show player happiness either only a snapshot of ppl liking to play it at that point in time.***

You really need to reread what you just typed phoenixwing. Number of people playing GaaS doesn't show profit either, btw. But, 100k people regularly playing a game, let alone a SP game with no season pass or the like, absolutely is a sign of player happiness.

Show all comments (17)
80°

Unveiling Baldur's Gate 3: The Art of Crafting an Acclaimed RPG

Having spent three and a half decades playing games and the best part of a decade writing about them, Adam Smith embodies a lifelong passion for gaming. His journey led him to Larian Studios during the nascent stages of Baldur’s Gate 3's production, where he now serves as Writing Director. In this exclusive interview, Adam shares profound insights into crafting narratives, balancing rich lore with innovative storytelling, and his vision for the future of interactive narratives in video games.

TheNamelessOne12d ago

Amazing game. Glad to see Larian finally being recognized with games like Original Sin and this.

80°

The Indie Genre Has No Exact Boundaries Anymore

In recent times, the Indie genre has lost its charm by becoming a loose term. There are no borders to decide whether a title is Indie or not.

OtterX14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

The defining factor is creative freedom. If you answer to a publisher, and they push ideas, changes and their own vision, then you are not indie. If you have a small publishing agreement that brought in funding, but the publisher's stake in the company or project is not large enough to give them creative reign, then you are still indie bc you still remain independent of control.

It's that easy. Indie means independence of creative control, not independence from funding. Many times small time publishers of indies will take control of only the marketing side of things, which is usually very much appreciated. I've worked in this side of gaming.

*It's the same thing in indie films or indie music really, with varying levels of quality and funding. It's about retaining the creator's original vision without unwanted meddling.

Vits14d ago

Unfortunately, yes. Indies were originally games that were outside of the main market, created by studios with no ties to publishers or larger companies. Then, at some point, they started to include pretty much every game that looks smallish. And even that went the way of the dodo, and budget size started to be compared, which we often don't know; now it's pretty much whatever you are feeling that day. Some will say that it's about creative freedom, which is also basically impossible to measure in most games and could very well mean that a bunch of smaller projects by Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, etc., are actually indies.

So at the end of the day. It's another label that has very little meaning.