Summary
- Baldur’s Gate 3 players on Xbox Series S will get access to split-screen multiplayer in Patch 8.
- The feature had to be dropped at launch due to hardware limitations.
- Some players already have access to Patch 8 through a stress test.
Baldur’s Gate 3 had a staggered release back in 2023, first coming to PC. Then, a month later, PlayStation 5 players got in on the fun, and yet there was still no word on when it would come to Xbox Series X/S. Larian had assured everyone ahead of launch that there was no exclusivity deal with Sony. As it happened, it was all because of the Xbox Series S.
Microsoft mandates that there has to be feature parity between Xbox Series X and S releases. This means that, while performance and visuals can be worse on Series S, players should be able to access the same features. However, Xbox relaxed this for Baldur’s Gate 3, finally letting it launch on the platform in December, dropping split-screen multiplayer for Series S.
Larian Has Finally Got Split-Screen Multiplayer Working On Xbox Series S
Baldur’s Gate 3 players on Series S can now enjoy local co-op
As of Patch 8, Xbox Series S players will finally have access to local multiplayer. They were always able to access online multiplayer with other Xbox users, but now, you can play a joint campaign locally, as long as you have a spare controller.
Patch 8 isn’t out for everyone now, but a select few players have been granted access to it as part of a stress test. Anyone who has Patch 8 will be able to access cross-play multiplayer, photo mode, new subclasses, and various bug fixes. Split-screen multiplayer is also available now if you have been given early access to the new patch. If not, you’ll have to wait until it drops for everyone.
In any case, it’s nice to see a positive Series S development, as they are quite hard to come by. Multiple devs have complained that the Series S’ limitations are frustrating to work with since any game looking to launch on Series X has to work on the less advanced model too. Despite this, Xbox boss Phil Spencer is adamant that the company is sticking with it.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence