When does Baldur's Gate 3 get good?

Give it 3 hours. In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (24%); after 20h it's 1 in 45 (2%). Fully opens up by hour 20.

How many players finish Baldur's Gate 3?

26% of players who start reach the ending.

All games

AdventureRPGStrategy

Baldur's Gate 3

Aug 3, 2023 Steam: Overwhelmingly Positive

Give it 3 hours

Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3

Fully opens up by 20h rated like by long-time players

Reach the ending 26% of players who started

Started playing 89% of owners

Steam reviews 97% positive of 862,336

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (24%); after 20h it's 1 in 45 (2%).
Fully opens up by hour 20.
26% of players who start reach the ending.
The biggest drop-off is between “Descent From Avernus” and “The Plot Thickens” (Leave Act I - for somewhere altogether darker): from 100% to 56% of starters.
89% of owners got the first achievement.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 864,185 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 298 reviews: 127.2h for positive, 36.8h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (89% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Started playing 100%
Descent From Avernus Take control of the nautiloid and escape the Hells. 100%
The Plot Thickens Leave Act I - for somewhere altogether darker. Most players quit here 56% −44
The City Awaits Leave Act II - Baldur's Gate is just over the horizon. 44% −12
All's Well That Ends Well Finish the game (with a heartfelt 'thank you!' from Larian Studios). 26% −18

story milestone ending biggest drop-off

Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.

All achievements (54)

story milestone ending side

Descent From Avernus Take control of the nautiloid and escape the Hells. 100%
Bedrolls and Breakfast Take four full Long Rests in a single playthrough - adventuring's tiring work. 73%
No Penny Required Successfully use Detect Thoughts to pry into someone's thoughts. 70%
Dig for Victory Dig up five buried chests in a single playthrough - treasure! 65%
Roleplayer Complete ten background goals in a single playthrough - you are one with your character. 64%
Action Surge Perform five attacks in one turn. Your enemies won't know what hit them (literally). 63%
Expand Your Mind Consume a parasite and unlock a new power - is it meant to wriggle the whole way down? 61%
The Plot Thickens Leave Act I - for somewhere altogether darker. 56%
Just a Nibble Let Astarion bite you at night - ouch. 56%
Shove Off Kill a creature with falling damage. 53%
Repairing the Weave Stabilise Gale's Netherese orb. 50%
Fists of Fury Kill a character with an Unarmed Strike. 48%
Devil's in the Details Defeat Commander Zhalk on the nautiloid. 45%
The City Awaits Leave Act II - Baldur's Gate is just over the horizon. 44%
Forged in Blood and Fire Craft an item in the Adamantine Forge. 44%
Bookworm Read 100 different books in a single playthrough. Adventuring isn't just daring quests, you know. 44%
Fetch Quest Play fetch with Scratch - the best boy in the Realms. 43%
The Lich-Queen's Wrath Ally with Voss against the githyanki God-Queen. Good luck. 42%
Taking Blood Steal the Blood of Lathander from underneath Rosymorn Monastery. 41%
No Free Lunches Defeat the Apostle of Myrkul before it consumes any necromites. 36%
Bottoms Up Long Rest using only alcohol - a time-honoured dwarven tradition. 34%
Escapologist Break out of prison after being arrested - aren't you daring? 33%
Homebrewer Create three unique alchemical solutions in a single playthrough - bottoms up! 33%
Penny Pincher Defeat the Toll Collector without her using gold against you - excellent budgeting. 31%
To Bloom in Darkest Night Gift Shadowheart a night orchid - her favourite flower. Always knew she was a softie. 30%
Under Lock and Key Rescue all the prisoners from the depths of Moonrise Towers in one playthrough. 29%
You Have Two Hands for a Reason Pet Scratch and the owlbear cub at the same time - the greatest joy an adventurer could ask for. 28%
Hero of the Forgotten Realms Save the realms: destroy the Absolute once and for all. 28%
Loophole Break Wyll's pact with Mizora. 27%
All's Well That Ends Well Finish the game (with a heartfelt 'thank you!' from Larian Studios). 26%
Non-Invasive Procedure Kill the Surgeon before he performs surgery on you in combat. 26%
A Grym Fate Kill the Adamantine Golem without using the Forge Hammer. 24%
First Blood Kill Orin while her cultists are performing their ritual chant. 22%
Outsourcing Recruit a hireling. You can befriend them or use them as cannon-fodder - we won't judge. 21%
Interfectorem Draconis Kill the red dragon in the Upper City. 20%
Rude, Crude, and Full of Attitude Find and summon the quasit Shovel. Or is her name... Fork? Maybe Basket? 19%
Pest Control Kill the Spider Matriarch before her eggs hatch - why do they have so many legs? 18%
Mind Blown Romance the Emperor. 15%
Kill Two Birds With One Gnome Use one enemy as an improvised weapon against another. 13%
Ceremorphosis Make the ultimate sacrifice: become a mind flayer to defeat the Netherbrain. 11%
Murder in Baldur's Gate Coat the streets of Baldur's Gate in blood - become an Unholy Assassin of Bhaal. 11%
Embrace Your Urge Become Bhaal's ultimate weapon - become his Slayer. 8.7%
Crash Landing In the Wyrmway, wait until the dragon is mid-flight, then knock it out of the sky - KAPOW. 8.4%
Absolute Power Corrupts Reign with terror: take control of the Netherbrain and bend the world to your will. 7.4%
Critical Hit Complete the game in Tactician mode. 7.2%
Leave No One Behind Save every tiefling refugee you can throughout the game in a single playthrough. 7.0%
Hot Date Go on a date with Karlach - now that's playing with fire. 6.7%
Fancy Footwork Defeat Gortash in Wyrm's Rock without activating any traps. 5.7%
She Cannot Be Caged! Rescue Sazza from the Emerald Grove, Goblin Camp, and Moonrise Towers in one playthrough. 4.2%
Sins of the Father Claim your Throne of Blood: take control of the Netherbrain for Bhaal and break the world. 3.8%
Jack-of-all-Trades Multiclass into every class in one playthrough without asking Withers to change your character. 3.6%
Foehammer Complete the game in Honour mode. 3.6%
Punch Drunk Defeat twenty opponents while drunk - down them. 3.4%
Busker Earn a hundred gold from playing sweet, sweet music in a single playthrough. 3.0%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-21.