Video Games

A modder is restoring BG3’s cut content, and step one is the early access Nautiloid stages

The Baldur’s Gate community has been buzzing about BG3’s cut content, and one modder is taking advantage of Larian’s new modding tools to add it back in

Josh Broadwell

Larian Studios

The Baldur’s Gate community has been buzzing about BG3’s cut content, and one modder is taking advantage of Larian’s new modding tools to add the missing moments back. Twitter user RenMods announced their intention to restore cut content from early access and remake what was removed before launch and released the first part of their efforts: the early access Nautiloid.

During BG3’s early access version, right up until launch, the Nautiloid in hell was quite a bit bigger. You could explore its upper deck, chat with some doomed civilians, see those weird little bug cannons that assault the city later and that was about it. It looked nifty and offered a sense of perspective, but I can see why Larian cut it. Being nifty and large-scale doesn’t do much to help move a tutorial prologue along.

Still, with BG3 passing its one-year anniversary and most of its secrets being well documented by this point, the prospect of strolling back through its earlier versions and seeing what could have been has some appeal. You can grab it off RenMods’ Patreon for free if you’re keen.

It’s just the start of their efforts as well.

“I plan to restore more cut content both from early access and remaking stuff that was planned but was cut from the game,” they said on Twitter. “I'm slowly working on the upper city of baldur's gate [sic] and will evantually release that as well. Since we can’t remove stuff from the map,i have to make new ways of making this cut areas accessible, so for this map i added 3 new platforms you can jump on to access the rest of the ship.”

Aside from Daisy becoming the Emperor, the Upper City’s removal caused the biggest stir among BG3 players. It’s easy to see why, since Larian promised just a few months before BG3 launched that you could explore the Upper City, and you very much can’t. However, I’m curious to see what the posh district would add to the experience.

Part of what gives Act 3 its identity – and demolishes the pacing – is just how crammed it is with people and quests. I imagine spreading that into the Upper City would have felt like just stretching it out for the sake of it, unless there’s some Upper City-specific questing or character building to make it feel distinct, but I’m keen to eventually explore it and other cut locations as well.

RenMods didn’t say whether quests or other removed content, such as Cazador’s expanded role, will also turn up on their list, though given the complexity, I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t.

Published
Josh Broadwell
JOSH BROADWELL

Josh is a freelance writer and reporter who specializes in guides, reviews, and whatever else he can convince someone to commission. You may have seen him on NPR, IGN, Polygon, or Rolling Stone shouting about RPGs. When he isn’t working, you’ll likely find him outside with his Belgian Malinois and Australian Shepherd or leveling yet another job in FFXIV.

Home/News