After a long wait,Baldur’s Gate 3’sPatch 8 has finally arrived, bringing with it the highly anticipated final patch for Larian Studios’ RPG magnum opus. Patch 8 features an onslaught of sought-after additions, including photo mode, as well as numerous surprises, such as new subclasses for players to try out. As expected, the patch marks another strong chapter in Larian Studios' ongoing support forBaldur’s Gate 3, making it yet another heartfelt love letter to the community that helped the game thrive. But even as the player base celebrates these additions and dusts off old save files, it’s clear that some pain points remain unaddressed.
Patch 8 marks a bittersweet end to what seemed like a never-ending and exciting chapter forBaldur’s Gateas a franchise. While many fans are deeply invested in their sadness about this closure, some are also mourning the content and fixes they wanted but did not get. The patch is generous and undoubtedly adds hundreds more hours to many playthroughs, but it did not check off every box on fans’ wishlists. For a game as rich and sprawling asBaldur’s Gate 3, it’s obvious no patch can solve everything or please everyone. Still, with post-launch engagement still high andfinancial milestones achieved byBG3even two years later, now’s the perfect time to talk about what’s still missing—potentially, forevermore.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Mod Support Is Still Risky Business
With Patch 8,Baldur’s Gate 3continues its evolution into a more polished and expansive version of the game that launched in 2023. Yet one of the most pivotal aspects of its long-term success,mods forBaldur’s Gate 3, remains in a precarious state. While Patch 8 is technically compatible with saves from Patch 7, players using mods may face instability or outright crashes, especially with mods that alter or add mechanics now touched by the update. Players are still largely left to troubleshoot and tinker on their own, risking broken saves or incompatible updates along the way.
Compatibility Isn’t Guaranteed
While Patch 8 is compatible with saves from Patch 7, the same can’t always be said for modded playthroughs. Especially mods that alter class mechanics, add spells, or introduce subclasses may break outright, making it difficult or impossible to continue an ongoing save until those mods are updated, if they even get updated at all. Many modders have moved on, and relying solely on community support makes post-Patch 8 playthroughs feel uncertain. In the face of this, many players are scouring the internet trying to findmods compatible withBG3Patch 8.
Players Needed Better Mod Integration Tools
Despite the game’s thriving modding community and the inclusion of anin-game mod manager in Patch 7, Patch 8 presents a real struggle for players who have been carefully curating their mods folder since 2023. Although Larian Studios released official mod support in Patch 7, the lack of a built-in compatibility checker can lead to game-breaking bugs and player frustration. As Larian Studios continues to tweak game mechanics in official patches, better infrastructure for mod users might have gone a long way. This potential for game-ending crashes leaves players who opt for mods to consider never updating to Patch 8.
The following section contains spoilers for some character arcs inBaldur’s Gate 3.
Patch 8 Leaves Some BG3 Fans Yearning for Narrative Content
Although the story ofBaldur’s Gate 3seems to have been delivered in full upon launch, patch histories have proven otherwise. With every patch, Larian Studios has sprinkled in some content that has ultimately enhanced the game. From minor additions that change the tone of the companions’ reaction to Astarion losing the ability to withstand the sun tothe bitter-sweet epilogue party added in Patch 5, Larian Studios has never shied away from refining their storytelling. Unfortunately, the history of adding new narrative content has left some fans upset about the lack of updates or expansions for certain characters.
Wyll’s Story
Arguments about Wyll’s lack of content in Patch 8 are prevalent on Twitter and often overshadow the enjoyment some fans experience. Unfortunately, this debate about the lack of content for Wyll has been prevalent sinceBaldur’s Gate 3’s launch in 2023. Wyll Ravenguard’s story is intrinsically intertwined with the plot ofBaldur’s Gate 3, unlike a character such as Astarion. However, Wyll still feels like a character whose potential was cut short.
Karlach’s Ending
A tragic heroine,Karlach’s fateis one that many players struggle with. The happy-go-lucky tiefling with a heart of gold is often a beacon of absolute positivity throughout the perilous roads leading to Baldur’s Gate. Which is why it is so heart-wrenching to learn that her infernal heart will lead to an untimely demise. Of course, the loophole would be to send her back to Avernus (which is possible under the right circumstances), but Karlach explicitly expresses throughout the game that she would rather die than return. Patch 8 presented a slim chance of hope for players who wanted to game to present alternatives to Karlach’s ending. Unfortunately, that opportunity went unanswered. Karlach’s ending is in heartbreaking tonal alignment with the game’s often somber moments, but for true Karlach lovers, it’s a reflection of way too much cruelty against everyone’s best gal pal at camp.
The Dark Urge’s Big Showdown
Baldur’s Gate 3characters shine for many reasons, from their performances to their intelligently written plots. Camp companions are particularly brought to life through the friendship they form with the player as the story progresses. Therefore, it’s hard to imagine that these campmates would have no reaction to a player’s critical, game-defining decision. Unfortunately, this has been a point of contention for those who choseThe Dark Urgeas their avatar. During a critical moment against Orin, the campmates witness an event so shocking that the scene practically begged for a strong companion reaction. However, players received practically nothing. Campmates, especially romanced companions, react quite underwhelmingly to The Dark Urge’s fight against Orin. This lack of reactivity left players scratching their heads, wondering where that low-hanging fruit disappeared from.
Some Subclasses Still Dominate
Withthe addition of 12 new subclasses inBG3, Patch 8 offers players endless replayability opportunities that grant the player maximum control over their Tavs and Durges. However, with such an influx of new playstyles to choose from, it is easy to forget the subclasses that came before—especially the ones that can be justifiably overlooked in favor of other subclasses. Patch 8 adds to the mix with new options, but it doesn’t rebalance existing ones to bring everything in line. So, while more choice is great, it can also highlight how far apart some of those choices still are in terms of viability.
Balance Remains Uneven
When players talk aboutsubclass imbalance inBaldur’s Gate 3, they’re often pointing to how some subclasses offer significantly more power and utility than others. This doesn’t just impact combat effectiveness, it can also influence how satisfying a character feels to play overall. Some subclasses grant unique action economy benefits or crowd control options that can dominate encounters, while others feel more limited in scope, either due to situational features or lackluster background. That imbalance becomes especially noticeable in later acts, where encounters scale in complexity and challenge, and underperforming subclasses can start to feel like a liability.
There’s also a perception issue: players often gravitate toward the most obviously impactful builds, and when a subclass doesn’t perform as well by comparison,it risks being overlooked entirely, no matter how flavorful or narratively rich it can be. That creates a kind of meta where only a handful of subclass choices feel “worth it” for min-maxers or players trying to optimize their party. For all the rest, well, they’re just fodder for inevitable re-specs.
One Quality-of-Life Feature Is Still Missing From Baldur’s Gate 3
Even beyond the realm of mods and strange narrative holes, there are other long-standing player frustrations that Patch 8 failed to address. One particular issue stands out. Not because it’s flashy, but because it affects every moment of respite and organization. While Larian Studios has built new features and added impressive content, this missing improvement leaves a noticeable gap in quality of life and usability that fans have been requesting since launch.
Inventory Hell Is Still Real
Even after eight major patches,Baldur’s Gate 3still struggles to make inventory management feel intuitive. It’s not just about the sheer volume of items you accumulate; it’s the experience of trying to sort through all of it. Players often joke about spending more time organizing their bags than actually fighting mind flayers, and for some, this may not be far from the truth. Between the auto-loot sprees, quest items that never disappear, and a mountain of “maybe useful later” gear, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The absence of a clear weight-sharing or weight-minimizing system exacerbates the issue, as well.
