Baldur's Gate is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. The series is divided into two sub-series: the Bhaalspawn Saga and the Dark Alliance. These sub-series mostly take place in the Western Heartlands, though the Bhaalspawn Saga also includes locations in Amn and Tethyr. The Dark Alliance series was released for video game consoles and was both critically and commercially successful. The Bhaalspawn Saga was praised for its use of pausable real-time gameplay, a feature that helped bring renewed interest to the computer role-playing game (CRPG) genre.

The Bhaalspawn Saga was originally created by BioWare for personal computers. Later, Beamdog and its division Overhaul Games remade the original games in high definition. The Dark Alliance series was initially planned by Snowblind Studios, but different companies handled the game ports, including Black Isle Studios, High Voltage Software, and Magic Pockets. The second game in the Dark Alliance series was developed by Black Isle Studios.

Black Isle Studios had planned a third series set in the Dalelands. This game would have been a PC-exclusive hack and slash game with pausable real-time gameplay and would not have been connected to the Bhaalspawn Saga. The project was canceled when Interplay lost the D&D PC license to Atari.

The Baldur's Gate series was revived in 2012 with Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, an updated version of the original game using an improved Infinity Engine. This marked the first release in the series in eight years and was followed by Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Beamdog received permission to create new games with the license, including Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, an expansion for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. Later, the license was given to Larian Studios, who developed and published Baldur's Gate 3, released in 2023.

Games

The Baldur's Gate series introduced improvements to role-playing video games from earlier times. BioWare's Infinity Engine created a special 3D-like view from above, with characters made from images. Baldur's Gate was the third computer game to use the Lua scripting language. This engine was also used for Planescape: Torment and the Icewind Dale series.

The first games in the series used a real-time version of the second edition AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) rules. Players could have up to six characters in their group, either created by the player following AD&D rules or recruited from the game world.

Baldur's Gate 3 uses the rules from Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, and the group is limited to four characters.

Many side quests and unexpected events are tied to specific characters. These can be activated if those characters are in the player's group. Through detailed, situation-based conversations, many characters inside and outside the player's group are described in depth and shown with more complexity.

The first game in the series, Baldur's Gate, introduces the player as an orphan raised by a wise person named Gorion in a fortified library-monastery called Candlekeep, located between Baldur's Gate and the kingdom of Amn. After leaving Candlekeep in a hurry and separating from Gorion, the player searches for Gorion's allies and tries to solve a mystery about metal crumbling in the region, while avoiding or fighting stronger enemies. An expansion pack called Tales of the Sword Coast added new areas to explore, stronger enemies, more spells, better equipment, and allowed the player to gain higher experience levels. It also changed some gameplay elements and the final battle.

The sequel, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, begins with the main character captured by a villain named Jon Irenicus. The player must escape to the city of Athkatla, the capital of Amn, and uncover the reason for the capture while traveling through Amn and the Underdark. This game included more specialized character classes, better graphics, and more powerful enemies. It also allowed more interaction with joinable characters, such as forming friendships or romances. Throne of Bhaal, an expansion for Baldur's Gate II, added new areas and completed the story arc introduced in the first game.

The third main game, Baldur's Gate 3, was developed by Larian Studios and Wizards of the Coast, which owns the Dungeons & Dragons license. It was released in 2023 for Windows PC, Mac OS, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

The action role-playing game Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was made by Snowblind Studios and others. It was released in 2001 for PlayStation 2 and later for Xbox and GameCube. The game takes place in the city of Baldur's Gate and nearby areas, set in the Forgotten Realms world, using rules from the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Its story is unrelated to earlier games. The PlayStation 2 version used an overhead third-person view and a dungeon-crawl style. A Game Boy Advance version was released in 2004 with simpler graphics. The original PlayStation 2 version was most highly praised.

A sequel, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II, was made by Black Isle Studios and released in 2004 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It used the same gameplay style as the first game but added features like crafting weapons and armor, a world map, and more open-world exploration.

In 2016, Interplay Entertainment sold its video game intellectual property (IP), including Dark Alliance.

The original Baldur's Gate was remade in 2012 by Overhaul Games and Beamdog, 14 years after its initial release. It was re-released as Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, including the original game and its expansion Tales of the Sword Coast. A new expansion, Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, was released in 2016.

Enhanced Edition of Baldur's Gate II was released in 2013, developed by Overhaul Games for PC, Mac OS X, iOS, Linux, and Android. It used a modified version of the Infinity Engine and included new content and widescreen support. Beamdog also remade other Infinity Engine games, such as Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment, and Neverwinter Nights.

The enhanced versions were released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2019.

Cancelled games

Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound (also called Jefferson and FR6) was first mentioned in early 2001 as a new game in the Baldur's Gate series. Black Isle Studios planned to create it using a new 3D engine. The game was officially announced in 2002 and would use the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. New gameplay features were planned to match these rules, and some ideas from the Dark Alliance series would be included. The game used the Jefferson Engine, which allowed for 3D effects like dynamic shadows.

The Black Hound was meant to be different from the previous Baldur's Gate games. Instead of a big, epic story, it would focus on role-playing and quests. Players would reach level four by the end of the game, with a maximum level of eight. This shift emphasized exploration and story over combat. The game was named Baldur's Gate because Interplay had lost the general D&D license to Atari but still had the right to make games with the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale names. The game would not connect to earlier Baldur's Gate stories but would start a new series called the Black Hound series. It would continue some elements from Icewind Dale II but not the main story.

Development of Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound was canceled in 2003. Around the same time, the third game in the Dark Alliance series was also canceled when Black Isle Studios closed. The Jefferson Engine was later used for the Van Buren project, which became Fallout 3. The game was 75% complete when it was canceled. The cancellation happened because Interplay lost the right to publish Baldur's Gate games on PC but kept the name for consoles, leading to the release of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II.

In an interview, developer Damien Foletto described the game's story. It would take place in the Dalelands. The player would find a woman chasing a Black Hound. She kills the hound, which dies on the player’s lap. She accuses the player of helping the dog and tries to kill them, but Riders of Archendale arrive and stop her. The player would then investigate who the woman was, why the hound followed them, and why people kept interfering in their journey.

In 2008, Atari said it would revisit the Baldur's Gate series after 2009. A developer named Sawyer worked on The Black Hound as a module for Neverwinter Nights 2. Later, Overhaul Games announced plans to make Baldur's Gate 3 with Kickstarter funding. They clarified that this game would be separate from The Black Hound. Trent Oster suggested settings like Thay and Waterdeep. Beamdog called the game Baldur's Gate Next to distinguish it from earlier games.

Overhaul Games and Beamdog eventually lost the rights to make Baldur's Gate games. Larian Studios, the developer of Divinity: Original Sin, acquired the license. Their game, Baldur's Gate 3, was announced in 2019 and released in 2023.

Characters

The Baldur's Gate series includes many characters. Some characters can join the player's group and help them on their journey. Other important characters affect the story but cannot be controlled by the player. They may be enemies or helpers. The main player character can be customized, but in the Dark Alliance sub-series, the player chooses from specific characters.

• Aerie is an avariel, a type of elf with wings. She lost her wings when she was trapped in a circus by slavers. She was later rescued by Quayle, a gnome who may join the player's group. Aerie is young and inexperienced during the events of Baldur's Gate II. She is often seen as a damsel in distress. She can join the player's group and may become a love interest for a male player in Shadows of Amn. If the romance continues into Throne of Bhaal, she may have a child with the player character.

• Allessia Faithhammer is one of the main characters in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II. She is a cleric of Helm, the god of protection. She travels to Baldur's Gate after hearing about the city's problems. She is described as a protector who uses magic to help others.

• Anomen Delryn is a warrior priest of Helm and a member of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart. He is insecure and often acts arrogant. He may join the player's group and can be a love interest for a female player in Shadows of Amn. His success in becoming a full member of his order depends on the player's choices, which changes his personality and in-game role.

• Edwin Odesseiron is a member of the Red Wizards of Thay. He wants the player's help to kill a companion named Dynaheir. He may join the player's group if the player agrees. He also appears in Shadows of Amn as an agent for the Shadow Thieves. If the player helps Edwin complete his quest, he changes his appearance after using a magical scroll. This part of the story is humorous and was an early example of a character exploring themes related to identity.

• Imoen is the player character's childhood friend and was raised by their foster father, Gorion, in Candlekeep. She is loyal and skilled at stealing. She faces difficult experiences in Shadows of Amn, including being tortured and arrested for using magic without permission. Imoen became very popular with fans, even though Bioware did not expect her to be so well-liked.

• Jaheira is a half-elf warrior druid and a member of the Harpers, a group that works to protect good and balance nature. Gorion tells the player to meet her and her husband, Khalid, but joining them is optional. Jaheira may be a love interest for a male player if certain conditions are met. She is one of the most popular characters in the series.

• Jan Jansen is a gnome, a race that lives over 350 years. He invents strange gadgets and tells long, confusing stories. He can join the player's group in Shadows of Amn and sells weapons in the city of Amn.

• Jon Irenicus is the main villain in Shadows of Amn. He is a powerful mage who tortures the player to learn about their divine heritage. He was once an elf named Joneleth, exiled from his city for trying to become a god.

• Khalid is a half-elf fighter and Jaheira's husband. He is nervous and speaks with a stutter. He and Jaheira are inseparable; if one leaves the group, the other follows. Khalid is killed by Irenicus in Shadows of Amn, leaving Jaheira grieving.

• Korgan Bloodaxe is a dwarven berserker who is evil-aligned. He can join the player's group and is valuable for his combat skills, especially for evil-aligned parties. He has interesting conversations with good-aligned characters.

• Minsc is a ranger from Rashemen who wants to be heroic. His pet hamster, Boo, is his advisor. He was originally assigned to protect the witch Dynaheir and stays with her after she is rescued. He can join the player's group and outlives Dynaheir, who is killed by Irenicus.

• Sarevok Anchev is the main villain in Baldur's Gate. He is the half-brother of the player character and a mortal descendant of the dead god Bhaal. As a child, he was saved from a ritual by Gorion and the Harpers. He was later raised by Rieltar Anchev, a member of the Iron Throne. Sarevok helps the Iron Throne cause chaos to gain power and kill his half-brothers to become a god. He returns in Throne of Bhaal, where the player may bring him back to life and recruit him.

• Vahn is one of the main characters in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. He is an Arcane Archer, skilled at shooting magical arrows. He becomes involved in the political problems of Baldur's Gate and fights against the Dark Alliance led by Eldrith the Betrayer.

Adaptations

Philip Athans, the editor of the Forgotten Realms novel line, wrote the first two books in the Baldur's Gate trilogy: Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. These books are based on the storylines of the Baldur's Gate video game series. The novels follow the main events of the original stories but skip many of the games' smaller subplots and include only a few of the non-player characters. The main character, known as the Bhaalspawn, is named Abdel Adrian in the novels. The third book, Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, was written by Drew Karpyshyn.

• Athans, Philip (June 1999). Baldur's Gate: A Novelization. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 978-0-7869-1525-5.
• Athans, Philip (September 2000). Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 978-0-7869-1569-9.
• Karpyshyn, Drew (September 2001). Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 978-0-7869-1985-7.

A comic book titled Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur's Gate was released in October 2014. The comic takes place many years after Throne of Bhaal and centers on Minsc as the main character. The comic was written by Jim Zub and drawn by Max Dunbar. It is part of the Dungeons & Dragons 40th anniversary celebrations.

In February 2026, it was announced that HBO and Hasbro Entertainment were creating a television series based on Baldur's Gate. The series will be led, written, and overseen by Craig Mazin. It is set to take place after the events of Baldur's Gate 3. According to video game journalist Geoff Keighley, the game developer Larian Studios is not involved in the adaptation.

Reception and legacy

In 1999, Baldur's Gate received the Origins Award for Best Role-Playing Game Computer Game of 1998. In 2000, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast received the Best Role-Playing Game Computer Game of 1999 award. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences gave the original Baldur's Gate the Interactive Achievement Award for PC Role-Playing Game of the Year. Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance later won Interactive Achievement Awards for Role-Playing Game of the Year in their respective PC and Console categories for the year 2001. Dark Alliance II won the 2004 RPG of the Year Award from GameFan and was later added to the GameFan Hall of Fame. By June 2001, the series had sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide.

PC Gamer's Paul Dean noted that the series "has always been as much about who these characters were as what they could do." He believed the characters in Baldur's Gate were central to the series and considered some of them to be the best RPG companions ever created.

Baldur's Gate 3 was highly praised and won several Game of the Year awards, including those from the Golden Joystick Awards, the Game Awards, the D.I.C.E. Awards, the Game Developers Choice Awards, and the British Academy Games Awards.