BG3 Stats Show Players Got Frisky with the Emperor, Turned into Cheese and More

Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by unveiling a fascinating collection of player statistics, revealing surprising choices and quirky gameplay moments. This data offers a unique perspective on how players have experienced the game's rich narrative and diverse mechanics.

Romantic Encounters in the Forgotten Realms

Larian's Twitter (X) post yesterday showcased the sheer scale of player romance. A staggering 75 million companion kisses were recorded, with Shadowheart taking the lead at 27 million, followed by Astarion (15 million) and Minthara (169,937). Act 1's celebratory night saw 32.5% of players choosing Shadowheart, 13.5% opting for Karlach, and 15.6% sleeping alone. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity soared, with 48.8% experiencing her final romance scene, compared to 17.6% with Karlach and 12.9% with Lae'zel.

More adventurous players explored relationships with Halsin (658,000 players), favoring his human form (70%) over his bear form (30%). Intriguingly, 1.1 million players engaged in intimate encounters with the Emperor, with a preference for the Dream Guardian form (63%) over the mind flayer tentacles (37%).

Whimsical Adventures and Unexpected Choices

Beyond romance, players embraced the game's lighter side. 1.9 million players experienced the unique pleasure of transforming into cheese wheels, a testament to the game's playful mechanics. Friendly dinosaurs received 3.5 million visits, while 2 million players freed Us from the Colony. Even the Dark Urge, known for their dark tendencies, surprisingly spared Alfira in at least 3,777 playthroughs, leading to an unexpected increase in lute rock performances.

Animal companions also captured players' hearts. Scratch the dog received over 120 million pets, likely due to his impeccable fetching skills. The Owlbear Cub wasn't far behind, with over 41 million pets. A curious statistic reveals 141,600 players attempted to pet His Majesty, the cat—the exact same number who conquered Honour Mode.

Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences

Despite the game's compelling pre-made characters, a remarkable 93% of players created custom avatars, highlighting the importance of personalized character creation. Among the pre-made characters, Astarion (1.21 million players) was the most popular, followed by Gale (1.20 million) and Shadowheart (0.86 million). Interestingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the Dark Urge.

The Paladin class reigned supreme, chosen by almost 10 million players. The Sorcerer and Fighter classes followed closely, each exceeding 7.5 million players. Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, also had substantial representation. Rangers and Clerics had lower numbers.

Elves were the most popular race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (both at 12.5 million). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also had high numbers. Less frequent choices included Half-Orcs, Githyanki, and Dwarves, with Gnomes and Halflings trailing behind. Specific class-race combinations revealed interesting trends, such as Dwarves favoring Paladins and Dragonborn choosing Sorcerers.

Epic Achievements and Diverse Endings

141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat. Of those defeated, 76% deleted their saves, while 24% continued in custom mode. Players made significant choices in the narrative, with 1.8 million betraying the Emperor, 329,000 convincing Orpheus to remain a mind flayer, and 3.3 million killing the Netherbrain (including 200,000 with Gale's sacrifice). A rare outcome saw 34 players experience Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection by Vlaakith.

In conclusion, Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary statistics showcase a diverse and engaged player base, highlighting both the game's challenging aspects and its humorous, romantic, and deeply personal narratives.