Larian Studios has released a Stress Test update for the highly anticipated Patch 8 of Baldur's Gate 3, aiming to ensure the patch's stability before its official release. Dive into the details of the stress test and what Patch 8 promises to bring to the game.

Patch 8 Stress Test Update 1 Arrives With Bug Fixes

Only Available To Testers

Larian has introduced an update to the Patch 8 Stress Test build, addressing several bugs, crashes, and scripting errors. This update also ensures that Gale properly consumes magical items as intended. Access to this update is limited to those participating in the Patch 8 stress test, available on their specified console. Players not involved in the stress test will need to wait for the full release of the patch to experience the new improvements and content.

Key improvements in this update include ensuring containers within inventories retain their contents even when destroyed, simplifying screenshotting in Photo Mode for Steam Deck users, enhancing pose responsiveness, improving cross-play functionality, updating the Booming Blade tooltip values when cast, and resolving various crash issues. For a comprehensive list of all enhancements, visit the Baldur’s Gate 3 official website’s news section.

As one of the final major updates from Larian before moving on from the world of Faerûn, Patch 8 is set to be a significant release, necessitating thorough stress testing. The patch will introduce platform cross-play, over 12 new subclasses including a Death Domain Cleric, a Path of Giants Barbarian, and an Arcane Archer Fighter, along with the eagerly awaited Photo Mode.

Photo Mode Is As Customizable As It Can Be

While eagerly awaiting Patch 8, players can explore an in-depth sneak peek video that showcases how to maximize the potential of the upcoming Photo Mode. Larian aims to ensure players can get the "Absolute most out of Photo Mode from the start."

Photo Mode is highly versatile, accessible almost anytime during adventuring, combat, and even in multiplayer by the host player. You can pose companions and characters to your liking, with or without party members, or add quirky elements like a jumping frog that dominates half the screen. The free-moving camera adds to the flexibility, allowing for the perfect shot from any angle.

After capturing your scene, you can enhance your photos with post-processing effects, stickers, and frames. However, during dialogues and cinematic cutscenes, you can only apply post-process effects and cannot alter poses.

This sneak peek is just the beginning, as Larian plans to release a tips and tricks video to further inspire and guide players in unleashing their creativity through Photo Mode.