Baldur's Gate 3 has something on PS5 it didn't on PC: pre-loads 2 days before launch

Baldur's Gate 3 is coming to PS5 just over a month after its PC release, and this time you'll actually be able to pre-load it.

Developer Larian Studios has confirmed that you'll be able to pre-load Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5 as of September 4 at 16:00 UTC. For my fellow Americans who have no idea what that means, 16:00 UTC translates to 9am PDT / 12pm EDT. The game will release at that same time on September 6, the very same day that Xbox players will be diving into Starfield.

If you pick up the digital deluxe version of Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5, you'll also get early access to the game's first act, starting on September 2. You'll be able to pre-load that, too, as of August 31 at 16:00 UTC (9am PDT / 12pm EDT). The devs previously promised 72 hours of early access, but it looks like that's been extended to 96 hours.

Baldur's Gate 3 had originally been scheduled to launch simultaneously across PC and PS5 on August 31, but the PC version was brought forward to launch a month early while the PS5 edition was pushed back to launch a week late. PC players did not get the benefit of pre-loads despite the game's massive file size, however, owing to how the capital-E, capital-A Early Access system on Steam works.

Check out our Baldur's Gate 3 review if you're on the fence about the game and have somehow missed all the superlatives being hurled at it from PC players over the past few weeks. Time will tell how the console port turns out, but either way this RPG is one for the ages.

Lemme tell you why your first Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough should be as a Druid. One of my colleagues will be happy to tell you why you should be a Bard instead.