The infamous bear scene in Baldur’s Gate 3 might have might headlines, but fans are arguing that it was shown to highlight the scope of the game, rather than trying to appeal to certain adult demographics. It’s not hard to understand why people think that developer Larian Studios had ulterior motives when including the scene in the final Panel From Hell, especially as it took over the discourse surrounding the game.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 risque bear video involved a love scene between Astarion and Halsin, two of the characters who are romance options in the game. Halsin accidentally transforms into a bear in the scene, thanks to his Druid Wild Shape ability. As the player controlled Astarion, they asked if Halsin could stay in his bear form for the upcoming romance scene, which was artfully cut away from.
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Baldur’s Gate 3’s Bear Scene Was About Scope, Not Perversion
It’s rare for a AAA game presentation to feature an elf being romanced by a bear with a human mind, and the presence of the scene in the Panel From Hell became a huge talking point online, with many accusing it of pandering to specific audiences. A popular thread on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit page started by user VeritasLuxMea argued that the point of the scene wasn’t titillation but to show off the sheer number of role-playing opportunities that Baldur’s Gate 3 offers.
Baldur’s Gate 2 had romance options, but there really wasn’t much to them. The next few generations of RPGs after Baldur’s Gate 2 reveled in including all kinds of weird and wondrous romance options for players, ones that went beyond humans dating humans, with characters like Garrus and Liara in Mass Effect, or Iron Bull and Solas in Dragon Age. Baldur’s Gate 3 is simply building on concepts already used in other RPGs.
There is definitely a comedic element to a bear romance scene, but it’s also something very different, and it’s the kind of thing D&D players have wondered about for years. Druids maintain their personality and intelligence when using Wild Shape, so there are no ethical questions about the power used in romance scenes. Its inclusion is about showing what you can do in Baldur’s Gate 3, a possibility of something fans might not have ever dreamed would be in a game, not what you have to do.
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There is a definite amount of shock value to including a bear romance scene in an officially licensed D&D product, but it’s not the only reason it was added to the game, nor was it the main focus of the Panel From Hell. The character options in Baldur’s Gate 3 are staggering, to say nothing of the NPCs and the world itself, and a freaky encounter with a Druid is just a drop in the bucket for what the game will offer.
