The Xbox Series S version of hit role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t have split-screen when it launches later this year, but that’s not to say it won’t receive the feature after launch.
A message on the official Xbox Twitter account (below) gave Series S players hope. “To answer some questions we’re getting, we’ll continue to work with [developer] Larian to explore the addition of split-screen on Series S post launch,” it said.
Baldur’s Gate 3 currently lacks a release date on Xbox despite having already launched on PC and its coming to PlayStation 5 on September 6. Larian wasn’t able to get split-screen working on the weaker Series S, and Microsoft’s feature parity policy prevented the studio from releasing even on the more powerful Series X.
Not even Microsoft engineers could get the game working as intended, but despite Xbox boss Phil Spencer insisting the feature parity policy remains in place, Larian later announced that Baldur’s Gate 3 will launch on Xbox this year without the split-screen feature on Series S.
The exception perhaps comes from the game’s success. The Dungeons & Dragons-based RPG has proven incredibly popular so far, almost immediately becoming one of the most popular games on Steam and forcing a hotfix from Larian to cope with demand.
It’s also gained attention for being, in the developers’ own words, “big-budget horny”, with players being shocked by the extent of its nudity.
In our 10/10 review, IGN said: “With crunchy, tactical RPG combat, a memorable story with complex characters, highly polished cinematic presentation, and a world that always rewards exploration and creativity, Baldur’s Gate 3 is the new high-water mark for CRPGs.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.