Baldur's Gate 3 is an RPG that gives players a lot of options for how to play. They can choose their BG3 class and race, play as a preconstructed character, make important decisions about the world around them, and they can even choose who to romance.
One of the bigger choices players have in the game is whether or not they choose to play with others online. Players have the option to play with both friends on their Steam friend list, or they can even play with strangers. In order to get started, players will first have to figure out how to play online.
How to Play Online in Baldur's Gate 3
There are several ways to access the play online menu in Baldur's Gate 3. Players can use the starting main menu to play online; the buttons for it are located at the bottom left of the screen. Press one of the plus buttons next to the player's Steam avatar button to open the online play menu.
Another way to play online with others is to choose "Invite Friends" in the bottom left of the character selection and creation in Baldur's Gate 3. Just press the "Invite Friends" button found there.
How to Use the Multiplayer Menu in Baldur's Gate 3
Players can use the menu to either host a game or join one in progress. If players choose to join a game in progress, they just need to interact with the first screen that pops up; it will look like this:
This will give a list of the players currently playing with open games that anyone can join in on. Players can also choose to search for lobby codes if they have one for a friend who is online and has invited them to a game.
If players choose to start a game, they can create a lobby over the internet or LAN local connections by selecting the "CREATE" button at the bottom of the screen. Players can choose to make their lobby private, the number of players, and what kind of players can join, including only friends, friends of friends, anyone, and more.
Next, players can use the invite button to remotely invite anyone from their Steam friends list, or they can copy and paste their server ID.
After all these selections have been made and the player is ready, they can select the "LAUNCH" button at the bottom of the screen to get it started. Then other players will be able to join the party based on the settings. Players can save their BG3 progress with the others and keep a save file just for their multiplayer game.
Baldur's Gate 3 is currently in Early Access on PC.