Baldur’s Gate 3, a game that significantly impacted August 2023 with a peak player count of 875,343 concurrent players, offers a unique experience with controller support. Many players are curious about this feature, and the good news is that Baldur’s Gate 3 controller support is real and works like a charm.
With its expansive playtime and intricate main story quest line, Baldur’s Gate 3 is well-suited for relaxed gameplay from the comfort of your couch, using a controller on the big screen. The game’s controller support is seamless, providing players with an immersive and enjoyable experience. Whether navigating through challenging quests or enjoying cinematic storytelling, the flexibility of using a controller enhances the enjoyment of this remarkable game.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 Controller Support

Baldur’s Gate 3, known for its immersive gameplay and story, has implemented a controller support system that’s both intuitive and versatile. Here’s how you can make the most of the Baldur’s Gate 3 controller support experience in the game:
Connecting the Controller: Ensure your controller is connected to the PC via cable or Bluetooth. Steam must recognise the controller to work with Baldur’s Gate 3. Once the game detects the controller, the user interface will shift from the classic keyboard and mouse layout to a controller wheel familiar to console RPG players.
Action Panes (R1/RB): Pressing R1 or RB will present radial menus, or action panes, displaying all your spells, items, and more. These menus are fully customisable. By pressing Square (PlayStation) or X (Xbox), you can add and arrange each character’s most frequently used actions.
Party Menu (L2/LT): The L2 or LT button opens the party menu. Here, you can select, group, or ungroup party members and choose which character you want to control. You can access the character sheet to manage inventory, traits, and proficiencies by clicking the analogue stick over a character.
Access Menu (R2/RT): Pressing R2 or RT will bring up a menu to access camp, short or long rest, turn-based mode, map, character sheet, and more. So Baldur’s Gate 3 controller support will work seamlessly on here too.
Interact Button (X/A): The X or A button is your classic interact button, allowing you to engage with the world, pick up items, loot objects, and press any buttons you find in the environment.
D-Pad Selections: The D-pad appears on-screen when there is more than one interaction option, like talking to multiple characters or sitting on a chair. You can select your desired action using the D-pad and even use the down button if you need to hide.
These controls transform the PC gaming experience of Baldur’s Gate 3 into a console-like interface, making gameplay smoother and more intuitive. Remember, these settings are unique to each character, so you can fully tailor the gameplay to your playing style and preferences.
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Combat Scenario in Baldur’s Gate 3

During combat, the controller functions in Baldur’s Gate 3 vary slightly:
- Left Analog Stick: This allows you to look around the battlefield for planning and strategy.
- L1/LT and R1/RT: These buttons bring up the action menus, displaying all the available actions.
- Triangle or Y Button: Pressing this ends your turn during combat.
- D-pad: Use this to toggle among targets, which helps identify hidden enemies. The down button can be used to hide, as in regular play mode.
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Controller Bug and Its Solution

There’s a known issue where PlayStation controller users may see Xbox inputs and vice versa. If you encounter this problem, follow these steps:
- Go to Steam settings.
- Modify the “Enable Steam Input for PlayStation controllers”, setting to either off or on, depending on the issue.
- Restart the game to see the correct inputs.
This bug has yet to be fixed since August 16, 2023. Following the above instructions, you can continue enjoying Baldur’s Gate 3 without any confusion with the controller inputs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baldurs’ Gate 3 A Long Game?
Yes — Baldur’s Gate 3 offers extensive gameplay. Completing the main story alone takes around 40 hours. Including side quests and exploration, the game extends to approximately 75 hours. For those aiming to explore everything, you’re looking at a 100-hour journey.
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 Available on Consoles?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is only accessible on PC via Steam or GOG. It is set for a PlayStation 5 release on September 6, 2023. An Xbox version is also planned, though the release date remains uncertain. There are no news about the Nintendo Switch version.
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 A Fun Game?
Yes — Baldur’s Gate 3 is highly enjoyable for fans of turn-based RPGs and Dungeons & Dragons. Its appeal largely stems from its basis on Dungeons & Dragons second edition rules, set within the captivating Forgotten Realms of D&D.
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