Larian Studios released Hotfix #34 for Baldur’s Gate 3 on September 23, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. This update is not a major content patch, but it brings meaningful improvements, particularly for players using the Steam Deck.
The most significant addition is the new native Steam Deck build. Previously, the game had to run through Proton, which often meant lower frame rates and longer load times. With the native version, performance feels smoother, loading screens are faster, and overall stability is stronger. Save locations were also updated to work properly with SteamOS, though anyone using Steam Cloud will see their progress transfer without issue. Mods continue to work through mod.io or manual installation. Players who prefer Proton can still launch that version if they want to compare performance.
Hotfix #34 also addresses a wide range of gameplay and technical problems. Crashes linked to the “Slow” condition in combat and the Find Familiar spell have been patched. Enemy health scaling issues, including problems with the Hound of Ill Omen and the Accursed Spectre, are fixed. The Apostle of Myrkul no longer regains health incorrectly during reloads in higher difficulty modes. Some AI quirks have also been improved, so enemy actions feel more consistent during battles.
For Xbox players, this update provides stability improvements. The patch fixes crashes when suspending during cinematics, problems with Honour Mode saves, hangs when returning to the main menu, and errors with cross-play invitations. Multiplayer should now be more reliable and less prone to disconnects during long sessions.
Audio and cinematic polish are also included. Spell sound effects that looped or failed to trigger now work as intended. Cinematics have been improved to resolve misaligned cameras, floating body parts, misplaced assets, and cut-off dialogue. These small details add up to a more immersive experience and reduce the distracting glitches that could break the flow of story scenes.
Even though this hotfix does not introduce new story material, it makes Baldur’s Gate 3 feel more refined. Steam Deck users will notice the biggest improvements, while console and PC players benefit from the stability and performance fixes.
Hotfix #34 focuses on polish and stability across platforms, giving players smoother performance and fewer interruptions during their adventures. Fans are still asking for optimization on older hardware and easier mod support, but this update shows clear progress toward a more polished experience for everyone.
Never heard 😕 of this before today.