Could Baldur's Gate 3's Cross-Platform Mods Finally Give Console Players Mod Equity?

As a life-long console gamer, I’ve missed out on a lot of mods. I have an almost total disconnect from modding culture because of that. The only mods I’ve ever used were forThe Sims, because those were the only games I ever played on my home Mac desktop – almost every other non-indie game I’ve played has been on console, and obviously, most console games do not have mod support.

In fact, the only two games I can think of that I’ve ever played on console that did wereSkyrimandFallout 4, and I played Skyrim on the Xbox 360 before Bethesda even offered it. The point is: if you’re primarily a console gamer, you’re not going to be using mods very often. I’ve always been a little ambivalent about this. On one hand, I always want to play a game the way it was made, at least the first time, and I don’t usually replay games, so I was unlikely to use mods that often anyway. On the other hand, I always feel like I’m missing out.

That said, I probably would have benefited from revamping my textures in Skyrim. And I know I would’ve lovedgiving myself more than 150 new spells to play with.

That feeling is amplified when it comes toBaldur’s Gate 3, especially because I know that I’ll likely be replaying this game a few more times over the years. Baldur’s Gate 3 isone of the most modded games of all-time, which is astonishing because it’s only been out of early access for six months, but also not surprising when you consider the strength of its community. The first time I saw Astarion with a gun, I almost fell to my knees. I wanted that for myself, and I knew that as a console player, I’d never get it.

Until now. Larian has announced that it’sworking on a “robust” plan for mod support that will work cross-platform. This is great news for modders who have seen their work break every time the game has an update or hotfix, and it’s yet another affirmation of their dedication to listening to their community.

I have thoughts on whether that willingness to cater to its player base is good for Larian,but I digress.

This is also great news for me, a console player who abhors sitting at my PC for more than an hour at a time. But more importantly, it’s a continuation of a pattern that sets Baldur’s Gate 3 apart from all the other good games that came out last year. It was on fire right out of the gates last year despite being very different from all the triple-A games that usually dominate Game of the Year discussions. And it is precisely its difference and audacity that continues to set it apart from its peers.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see cross-platform modding become more common because of Larian’s influence and willingness to take the first step. While console players still aren’t going to get every mod on PC, Larian is cracking the gates to mainstream console modding open for the first time in years. Once again, they’re being the trailblazers.