Editing Early Access

'''Early Access''', or ''EA'', is the funding and development model for games of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larian_Studios Larian Studios].

'''Early Access''' is an ''unfinished'' and ''unpolished'' version of the main game. Players can help the development of the game by providing feedback or reporting bugs.

Larian Studios decided to follow this model for [[Baldur's Gate 3]] after seeing its continuous successes in their previous games: '''Divinity: Original Sin''' and '''Divinity: Original Sin 2'''. 

The first released Early Access version of '''Baldur's Gate 3''' was on October 6th, 2020. Since then, Larian has released multiple patches fixing bugs and changing or adding content depending on the users' feedback. Many playable [[Character_Creation#Playable_Classes|Classes]], [[Character_Creation#Playable_Races|Races]], [[Companions]] and [[Quest]]s are not available in Early Access. 

Early Access version of Baldur's Gate 3 costs 60 US Dollars and will remain the same price on full release. Early Access buyers '''do not''' have to pay for the game again on full release.

Updates of Early Access consist of '''Hotfixes'''; which are updates that focus on fixing a certain amount of usually game-breaking bugs or crashes, and '''Patches'''; which are updates usually surpassing 50 GB in size and added or vastly modified content and improved stability.

== Timeline ==
''Main page: [[Patch notes]]''

=== 2020 ===
* '''February'''
'''27''': Gameplay reveal at PAX East.
* '''August'''
'''25''': Early Access is announced to be launched on September 30th.
* '''October'''

'''6''': '''Early Access is launched.'''

'''7''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=679372#Post679372 Hotfix #1] is released.

'''8''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=681702#Post681702 Hotfix #2] is released.

'''9''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=684502#Post684502 Hotfix #3] is released.

'''13''': [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940?emclan=103582791464711919&emgid=2896336186753128622 '''Patch 1'''] is released.

'''27''': [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940?emclan=103582791464711919&emgid=2934618050801266876 '''Patch 2'''] is released.

'''30''': [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940?updates=true&emclan=103582791464711919&emgid=2924485584688473627 Hotfix #4] is released.

* '''December'''

'''2''': [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940?emclan=103582791464711919&emgid=2894089457947101686 '''Patch 3'''], first in a line of tens of GBs in size and save-breaking Patches is released. This patch focused on stability and added options for pacifist players.

'''8''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=743340#Post743340 Hotfix #5] is released.

'''15''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=744847#Post744847 Hotfix #6] is released.

=== 2021 ===
* '''February'''

'''25''': [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940?updates=true&emclan=103582791464711919&emgid=3030330956943251733 '''Patch 4'''] is released. [[Druid]] class is added alongside an improvement on cinematics, stability and multiple ''Quality of Life'' features.

'''26''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=760262#Post760262 Hotfix #7] is released.

* '''March'''

'''4''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=762435#Post762435 Hotfix #8] is released.

'''23''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=766574#Post766574 Hotfix #9] is released.

* '''April'''

'''15''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=769744#Post769744 Hotfix #10] is released.

* '''May'''

'''12''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=772940#Post772940 Hotfix #11] is released.

* '''July'''

'''15''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=780440#Post780440 '''Patch 5'''] is released. A patch bigger in size than the fourth one, this update improved and changed multiple systems users sent feedback about: mainly the camping and dice rolling system, besides adding point-and-click barks, background goals and cinematics.

'''22''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=782296#Post782296 Hotfix #12] is released.

* '''August'''

'''5''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=785381#Post785381 Hotfix #13] is released.

'''24''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=788665#Post788665 Hotfix #14] is released.

'''31''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=789290#Post789290 Hotfix #15] is released.

* '''October'''

'''6''': '''Early Access becomes one year old'''.

'''14''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=792767#Post792767 '''Patch 6'''] is released. A patch bigger in size than the fifth one, this update added the [[Sorcerer]] class alongside the [[Grymforge]] region and a big graphical update. Also, the typical bug-fixing and stability improvements.

'''21''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=795172#Post795172 Hotfix #16] is released.

'''28''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=797296#Post797296 Hotfix #17] is released.

* '''November'''

'''16''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=800681#Post800681 Hotfix #18] is released.

* '''December'''

'''2''': [https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=802923#Post802923 Hotfix #19] is released.
=== 2022 ===

* '''February'''

'''15''': [https://t.co/iJP0WYJDjb '''Patch 7'''] is released. It adds the [[Barbarian]] class along with [[Improvised Weapon Attack|Improvised Weapons]], UI redesign, over 700 improved cinematics and more.

'''22''' [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940/view/3103546793469782939 Hotfix #20] is released.

* '''March'''

'''3''': [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940/view/3103548062064061789 Hotfix #21] is released.

'''16''': Hotfix #22 is released.

* '''April'''

'''7''': Hotfix #23 is released.

* '''July'''

'''7''': '''[https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=818832#Post818832 Patch 8]''' is released. Its main additions were the [[Bard]] class and [[Gnome]] race.

'''8''': Hotfix #24 is released.

'''12''': Hotfix #25 is released.

'''20''': Hotfix #26 is released.

'''29''': Hotfix #27 is released.

* '''August'''

'''8''': Hotfix #28 is released.

* '''September'''

'''13''': Hotfix #29 is released.

* '''October'''

'''6''': '''Early Access becomes two years old'''.

* '''December'''

'''8''': Larian Studios announces at the Video Game Awards the release date of the full game, '''August 2023''', with this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOWGnC3h9WQ&ab_channel=LarianStudios trailer].

'''14''': '''[https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=834832#Post834832 Patch 9]''' is released. It adds the [[Paladin]] class, a revamped Reaction system, and the level cap is increased to 5. It is revealed this to be the '''last content update for Early Access''' in preparation for the final release on August 2023.

'''22''': Hotfix #30 is released.

=== 2023 ===

* '''January'''

'''17''': Hotfix #31 is released.

'''25''': Hotfix #32 is released.

* '''February'''

'''23''': Release date for the full game is announced. Baldur's Gate 3 is planned to release on August 31, 2023. PS5 is also announced as one of the platforms, with this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-KF9iueE0&ab_channel=LarianStudios trailer].