The Patch 8 Stress Test for Baldur's Gate 3 is now live for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
News in brief
- Players can test out cross-play across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox by creating a lobby or joining one.
- PC and PlayStation players who've already registered for the playtest will receive access details via email.
- Xbox players need to join the Xbox Insider Program and download the Xbox Insider Hub to access the test.
You can still sign up for the Patch 8 Stress Test, though registering doesn't guarantee you access, which will be rolled out in waves. Anyone who already has access can request extra keys for friends for the PlayStation and Steam (PC) and link their game account with their Larian account.
Larian also shared a handy video on their YouTube channel with step-by-step details on setting up cross-play. Essentially, players can enable cross-play on their device, then create a lobby by going to the Multiplayer menu and selecting cross-play.
For the Patch 8 Stress Test, Larian recommends console players host the lobby if they wish to play with PC players. However, if you're joining a modded PC lobby, the PC host must have fewer than 100 mods installed on that save. These mods must also include only mods accepted across console and Mac, or this will trigger a mod mismatch and you won't be able to join the host's game.
Players can add friends to their lobby by clicking the "+" icon from the Create Lobby screen when setting up cross-play, but you'll need to know your friend's Larian account username. Once your friend accepts your request, you'll be able to see them online and can invite them to join your lobby.
Though Xbox players need to join the Xbox Insider Program to access the playtest, there's a surprise in store for Xbox Series S console owners, who will be able to try out the split-screen feature that's coming soon to Xbox with Patch 8.
Should you stumble across any issues during the stress test, you can fill out Larian's bug reporting form — just ensure you add "Patch 8" to the Game Version box on the form. A link to a feedback form for players to share their Patch 8 Stress Test experiences with the developer will also be included in the access email.
A few issues have already been reported, and you can check out the full list of known issues on Larian's news page, which also covers everything coming soon in Patch 8.
There's no release date yet for Patch 8, but when it lands, players can expect plenty of new gameplay, combat, performance, and modding updates. Highlights include 12 new subclasses, cross-play, Xbox Series S split-screen for couch co-op, and Photo Mode.
