Major content and system updates are delivered to BG3 (Baldurs Gate 3) through periodic patches.
Patch 3 is one of the largest patches released for Baldur’s Gate 3, which introduces many new features, optimizations, and fixes.
This article will discuss why BG3 crashes after Patch 3 and how to resolve them.
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What Is Patch 3 For BG3?
Patch 3 brought significant new content and improvements to Baldur’s Gate 3.
The game’s story was expanded with additional quests and dialogue options.
New environments and areas were added for players to explore.
Character customization got better with more hair and skin tone options.
Combat received balance changes and quality-of-life upgrades.
Under the hood, performance optimizations were implemented to improve stability and reduce crashes.
Patch 3 represents a major leap forward for Baldur’s Gate 3’s early access development.
Major Updates In Patch 3
Some of the most notable new features and changes delivered in Patch 3 include:
- New Playable Race: The Githyanki race was added as a playable option, with unique racial abilities and starting equipment.
- Druid Class Improvements: The Druid class received several upgrades, such as new shapeshift forms, spells, and wild shape abilities.
- Character Creation: More character customization options, like additional hairstyles and a wider range of skin tones, are available.
- Expanded Starting Area: The tutorial zone of Baldur’s Gate received new quests, NPCs, and areas to explore.
- Additional Companions: New origin character companions like Wyll the Tiefling Warlock joined the party.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Interface upgrades increased the clarity of stats, effects, and combat feedback.
- Combat Balancing: Ability descriptions were clarified. Classes and monsters received tuning passes to refine gameplay.
- Performance Optimizations: Under-the-hood changes aimed to reduce crashes and improve system stability.
BG3 Crashing After Patch 3 For Players
While Patch 3 delivered many improvements, it also introduced new crashing issues that impacted some players’ experiences.
After installing the patch, reports of BG3 suddenly crashing or freezing during normal gameplay started surfacing.
This could happen at any point, whether in combat, dialog or simply exploring the world.
The frequency and triggers for crashes seemed to vary between players.
For some, the game would run stably for long periods of up to an hour or more with no problems.
But for others, crashes frequently began occurring within 10-15 minutes of playing.
Common crash points included entering new areas, initiating conversations, or during intensive combat sequences.
Moreover, the issue disrupted the ability to make consistent progress and save games reliably.
It turns what was previously a stable experience into an unstable and frustrating one.
Why Is BG3 Crashing After Patch 3?
There is no definitive answer for why Patch 3 introduced crashing to BG3 for some players.
As an early access title still under development, stability issues can emerge from any number of changes between updates.
A few potential culprits that may have contributed include:
1. Performance Optimization Bugs
The game encounters bugs or glitches related to certain actions, dialogs, or enemies.
While the patch aimed to improve performance, new bugs could have offset or reversed some optimizations.
These may be fixed in future patches or hotfixes by the developers.
2. Memory Leaks And Hardware Incompatibilities
Problems with how the game allocates and releases memory over long sessions could lead to crashes.
Specific unforeseen conflicts with certain GPUs, CPUs, or other components are difficult to identify in testing.
3. Multiplayer And New Content Integration
Implementing multiplayer features has ongoing challenges and could introduce instability.
Adding significant new content, areas, and systems increases complexity and opportunities for errors.
4. Corrupted Installations
Some issues may stem from corrupted game files rather than the patch itself for some players.
Therefore, without access to Larian’s internal debugging tools, it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact root cause.
But some combination of the above led Patch 3 to negatively impact stability for some of Baldur’s Gate 3’s player base.
How To Fix BG3 Crashes In Patch 3
For players experiencing crashes, Larian Studios recommends first trying some troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue:
1. Update Graphics Card Drivers/Windows
Outdated drivers can cause problems, so keeping them current is important.
Being on the latest Windows 10 version ensures no conflicts with the game version.
2. Verify Game Files
Through Steam, check the game’s files for corruption and replace any invalid archives.
Being on the latest Windows 10 version ensures no conflicts with the game version.
3. Lower Graphics Settings And Frame Rate
Reducing settings like shadows and effects can improve performance stability.
Capping frames to your monitor’s refresh rate prevents overtaxing hardware.
4. Wait for Future Patches
Larian is actively working on fixes, so waiting allows problems to be addressed potentially.
Communication from Larian indicates they are investigating crash reports to identify the root causes behind Patch 3’s issues.
While frustrating for now, staying up to date on patches offers the best chance for a more stable experience going forward.
Alternatively, a clean reinstallation may fix file/installation issues as a last resort.
The Bottom Line
Patch 3 took Baldur’s Gate 3 to new heights with significant additions but also introduced crashing that disrupted the experience.
However, the root problems behind the crashes remain unclear without developer access.
For those on whom the crashes have had an impact, basic troubleshooting may help as a temporary solution.
Players must wait for Larian to resolve the issues through continued patching and optimization.
