Baldur’s Gate is one of those RPGs that, once it came out, left a mark on the role-playing game genre forever. Based in the Forgotten Realms universe of Dungeons & Dragons, the series introduced players to a rich, branching story and tactical combat that wasn’t seen before. From its original isometric view to the modern-day cinematic experience in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s been a long journey. This article explores all the Baldur’s Gate Games in Order, covering both release chronology and in-world timeline.
You might be wondering how many Baldur’s Gate games are there. The answer is 10. Before diving into the timeline, it helps to know when each game actually came out. Over the years, there have been main titles, expansions, re-releases, and spin-offs. Here’s the release order of those 10 games:
Now, not all of these are part of the same storyline. Some games, like Dark Alliance, are more like side-games that just use the same setting. Others are remasters. But the Bhaalspawn saga, the main story of BG games, follows a different order when looked at by its plot.
Yes, the order in which the games are released is not the same as how the story unfolds. The original trilogy (Baldur’s Gate, Shadows of Amn, Throne of Bhaal) follows one protagonist’s journey, and then Siege of Dragonspear, added later, fills in the gap between BG1 and BG2. Baldur’s Gate 3, although a sequel, is set more than a hundred years later. So if you want to follow the story chronologically, it goes like this:
While the Baldur’s Gate Games in Order of release give you the player experience as they were originally launched, the actual story timeline shifts slightly.
Image Credits: Larian Studios
This is where the Bhaalspawn saga starts. Your character, raised in the castle of Candlekeep, is suddenly thrown into a deadly world after your foster father, Gorion, is murdered. As you begin travelling across the Sword Coast, you start learning that you’re more than just an average adventurer.
You’re a child of Bhaal, the dead god of murder. The game takes you through political tension, mysterious cults, and eventually to a major confrontation with Sarevok, another Bhaalspawn who wants to start a war and claim power. Tales of the Sword Coast is an expansion for the first game. It doesn’t add much to the main story but introduces new quests and areas, like Durlag’s Tower, for more exploring.
Image Credits: Larian Studios
This game came out much later, but it’s meant to be placed between Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2. After the defeat of Sarevok, your character becomes a kind of military figure in a crusade led by a mysterious and divine-like woman called Caelar Argent, also known as the Shining Lady.
What makes Siege of Dragonspear special is that it’s the only game that directly continues the story from the first and builds up to what happens in BG2. It also shows how people begin fearing your Bhaalspawn powers and sets up the emotional shift you go through later on. The tone of this one’s a bit more serious and political, and while not as long as a full mainline game, it still adds a big piece to the whole saga.
Image Credits: Larian Studios
Probably the most beloved entry in the franchise, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn starts with your character captured and trapped by the powerful mage Jon Irenicus. After a grim escape, you find yourself in the huge city of Athkatla, trying to understand what Irenicus is planning and what he wants from your divine bloodline. As you travel through dungeons, cities, and even the Underdark, the narrative goes deeper into who you are as a Bhaalspawn and what destiny might have in store for you.
The characters are iconic, the writing deep, and the world-building more complex than before. Throne of Bhaal is the final act. Here, the gods have taken notice of the chaos among Bhaalspawn. Other powerful Bhaalspawn rise to claim the Throne of Murder, and you must decide, will you take that power and become a god, or walk away and live as a mortal? This expansion brings closure to all major story arcs and adds high-level challenges. It’s the true finale of your character’s journey, one that many RPG fans still talk about.
Image Credits: Larian Studios
The third numbered entry, Baldur’s Gate 3, is set about 120 years after the events of Throne of Bhaal. You play a completely new character, infected with an illithid parasite that grants strange powers and slowly threatens to turn you into a Mind Flayer. The game begins with a cinematic abduction, and from there, unfolds into a huge D&D 5th Edition campaign.
While the gameplay is now turn-based (a change from the previous games), the spirit of Baldur’s Gate – freedom, choice, companions, and lore remains intact. Some old faces like Jaheira and Minsc return, which connects it back to the original saga, but this is a standalone story in many ways. It deals with its own themes – identity, control, and destiny, but there’s still plenty of references for returning fans.
BG3 is also one of the greatest games ever created, thanks in no small part to its dedicated and skilled developer team. They’ve constructed a living world, one where you, as the protagonist, are not at the centre of the universe. Everything around you does its own thing in a sense, and you can approach quests in dozens of different ways. Larian has hidden so many details that players have still not found all of them (and may never will).
Lastly, Baldur’s Gate 3’s system requirements may be too much if you have an older machine. We recommend confirming that you can run it before downloading, since it takes up about 150 GB of SSD space (and yes, an SSD is necessary for the game to run).
Image Credits: Larian Studios
The Dark Alliance games aren’t part of the main Baldur’s Gate storyline. These are action RPGs made for console audiences, featuring real-time hack-and-slash gameplay. The first game follows a new set of heroes defending Baldur’s Gate from various threats, but is not tied to the Bhaalspawn lore. The second game, Dark Alliance II, picks up where the first left off, with different characters and locations. They’re fun, more casual, but separate from the deep RPG storytelling found in the main games.
Image Credits: Larian Studios
To keep the older games alive and accessible, Beamdog released Enhanced Editions of Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2. These versions include the original expansions (Tales of the Sword Coast, Throne of Bhaal), graphical updates, quality-of-life fixes, and even some new party members and quests. Siege of Dragonspear was also developed to fit perfectly between these enhanced games, bridging the gap in a way that wasn’t originally present. So for newer players (even those new to D&D gaming), these remastered versions are the best way to experience the saga in one consistent format.
Not every planned Baldur’s Gate game made it to release. The Black Hound, a spin-off project intended to be Baldur’s Gate III, was cancelled by Black Isle Studios back in the early 2000s. Overhaul Games (the folks behind Enhanced Editions) also had early ideas for Baldur’s Gate 3, but that project was dropped and never turned into a full game. Eventually, Larian Studios would take the mantle and deliver the BG3 we have today.
Baldur’s Gate’s legacy isn’t just in how many games it released, but how each game built a world full of choices, history, and consequences. From your humble beginnings in Candlekeep to battling gods and otherworldly threats, the journey is vast and unforgettable. If you’re looking to play the story in the best way possible, the timeline order gives you a fuller narrative arc. But even if you jump in from Baldur’s Gate 3 and never play the originals, you’re still in for something special.
Understanding the Baldur’s Gate Games in Order helps players appreciate the saga’s evolution, from the original classics to the modern epic of Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s rare to see a series span decades and still be relevant, yet Baldur’s Gate does exactly that. Whether you want strategy, action, or immersive storytelling, there’s something here for every kind of RPG fan.
Have you played more than 1 Baldur’s Gate game and if so, which one did you like the most? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!
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