Baldur’s Gate 3 has a lasting impact on the lives of some people. One player took the step to finally leave her partner thanks to the story.
Baldur’s Gate 3 was praised last year for pretty much every aspect. Whether it’s the gameplay, the staging, the story, or the high level of detail in the developed characters. However, for some people, Baldur’s Gate 3 also has a strong influence on “real life” – as one player was able to liberate herself from her toxic relationship.
What happened? In the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit, Swmitabyss shares her story. She was trapped in a terrible relationship and had already come to terms with it. But Baldur’s Gate 3 helped her finally take the important step of separating. The story is quite dark, but at least it has a happy ending. She reports:
I haven’t fully admitted this to myself due to, for lack of a better word, “cringe”, but Baldur’s Gate 3 was the silent killer of my relationship that lasted over 3 ½ years – in a good way. […]
I was already aware that I was in a toxic relationship, but I spent the last year getting used to the physical violence, the belittlement, and the manipulation, because, to be honest, that was all I knew. I didn’t have the energy to leave again. Every time I mustered the courage to stand up for myself, the night ended with things scattered or broken in the house and bruises on my skin. All I could think about after work was escaping into that warm embrace of my fictional companions and my vicarious life through Tav. I would even say I felt loved by someone after being numb for so long.
It was precisely the relationships that were possible in the game and the interactions with the individual companions that allowed her to better assess and reflect on her own condition in real life:
Allow me to say that I understand the line between fantasy and reality, but it felt real enough to give me a sense of intimacy and connection that I was missing in my life. Real enough to make me realize that I deserve someone who looks at me with nothing but love and compassion. Real enough to show me that I’m worthy of someone who is kind and loving. Six weeks ago, something inside me said that it was enough, and I left and haven’t looked back.
How the community reacts: In the Baldur’s Gate 3 community, this story is received extremely positively. The Reddit post has received over 19,000 upvotes, which is very high for this subreddit. Many congratulate the author on her step or share how significant the influence of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the companions has been on their lives:
- “I am so damn proud of you, dear. Well done getting out. Always remember: You are not alone. None of us are.” – Earis
- “Congratulations on escaping that. You can be proud of yourself for having taken such a difficult step.
I’m sure that all the people who worked at Larian on the game would be thrilled to hear that their art had such a positive impact.” – Faolair - “It’s really wild how well the game is written and this is a good example of that. They really managed to capture the essence of so many human experiences.
My own story is that I grew up in a cult and ultimately left. The deconstruction story of Shadowheart is basically my own experience of leaving. They really hit the nail on the head with this game at every turn.” – MuzzledScreaming
Even though games are primarily a medium of entertainment, they increasingly provide complex, engaging, and relatable characters, enabling more people to draw lessons for their lives. And in the case of this story, it’s nice that it turned out so well and that there was a happy ending. The evil endings are better left for the game world.
