Baldur’s Gate 3 has been released on both PlayStation 5 and PC after a very long wait – and it’ll be coming to Xbox platforms before the year is up. It’s a phenomenal game that’s up for Game of the Year from many outlets, but the length history of the franchise has some newcomers confused. With that in mind, we’ve put together a guide that lists all the Baldur’s Gate games in order of their release, so you know how the chronology of the series works.

This series started back in 1998, so it has legs – and since then, it spawned several spin-off titles and, essentially, the franchise split into two branches. It’s a confusing enough path to follow, but fortunately, you’ve stumbled across this guide. If you’ve been racking your brain trying to put all Baldur’s Gate games in order, look no further than this breakdown – we’ve got you covered.

Image Credit: Larian Studios

What Order Are The Baldur’s Gate Games In?

So, it all began way back in 1998 with Baldur’s Gate – the original game – which was developed by BioWare, a legendary organisation. This team would go on to build the likes of Mass Effect and Dragon Age. If we fast-forward to today, we’re all playing Baldur’s Gate 3 – but what happened in the twenty-five-year gap? There were many games and expansions released to bolster the series, but let’s now put the Baldur’s Gate games in order, so you can get a better understanding of the franchise.

Baldur’s Gate (1998)
Baldur’s Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (Expansion, 1999)
Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)
Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (Expansion, 2001)
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance (Spin-off, 2001)
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II (Spin-off, 2004)
Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition (Re-release, 2012)
Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition (Re-release, 2013)
Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear (Expansion, 2016)
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (2021)
Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)

We’ve mentioned a split that took place, and that was between the Bhaalspawn Saga and the Dark Alliance sequence. In the ‘main’ chronology, Baldur’s Gate, Baldur’s Gate II, and Baldur’s Gate 3 are included – and their respective expansions. For the three Dark Alliance games that were released over the course of a twenty-year window, they’re considered a separate series from the main games.

So, that’s all the Baldur’s Gate games in order – but it doesn’t end there.

Related: How Long to Beat Baldur’s Gate 3?

Which Baldur’s Gate Should You Start With?

There isn’t really any issue in starting with Baldur’s Gate 3. There may be some fundamental elements that you have trouble understanding if you’ve never been exposed to Dungeons & Dragons, but it’s nothing too severe that you won’t be able to catch up on relatively quickly. It’s designed to be as accessible as possible, so why not just dive in to the latest and greatest game in the series?

Otherwise, if you want to play the game in order of release, we recommend just starting with the Enhanced Editions of both Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II. That’s the best way to experience the older games, as the original versions are typically very hard to come by these days and they may seem so dated that it will feel difficult to connect with them. That’s the same with the Dark Alliance games – they’re brilliant games in their own right, but they’re understandably showing their age.

But you may be a fan of retro gaming – if that’s the case, then have it.

Read More: Check Out The Best BG3 Classes