The beautifully chill startup screen in Baldur's Gate 3 came "pretty late" in development after "SO MANY versions" were tested, says publishing lead

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Even Baldur's Gate 3's pre-main menu screen is goated

Baldur's Gate 3 Shadowheart
(Image credit: Larian Studios)

One of the first things you see when booting up Baldur's Gate 3 is an elevated view of the city, and one of the first things you hear is wind gently whipping through trees, the chirping of the region's fauna, and not a whole lot else. It's the startup screen to Baldur's Gate 3, instructing you simply to "press any key to continue," or, alternatively, just enjoy the incredibly peaceful scene, as I often do for a few moments before clicking through.

I'm not the only one who appreciates this little slice of serenity in Baldur's Gate 3, as X user @cheersitskatie recently gushed about the "underrated" screen, describing it as, "literally so perfect and relaxing i could keep it playing in the background all day."

I really shouldn't be surprised that Larian's extraordinary attention to detail extended all the way to this tiny little pre-main menu screen, but I'm thankful that it did. I'll often have a YouTube video of the scene running in the background while I work or write, and in case you have yet to discover this wonderful relaxation/concentration tool, well, thank me later:

Baldur's Gate 3 - Ambience & Music - YouTube Baldur's Gate 3 - Ambience & Music - YouTube
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Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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