Unexpected Romance: Fans Rally Behind Dark Urge and Gortash in Baldur's Gate 3

A recent insight into the development of Baldur's Gate 3 has sparked discussions among fans regarding a specific character pairing that has captivated many. A former writer from Larian Studios expressed their surprise at how passionately the community embraced a romantic connection involving one of the game's notable antagonists, Gortash, and the character known as the Dark Urge.

Regarded as one of the top role-playing games, Baldur's Gate 3 excels with its intricate storytelling, replay value, and faithful adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons. However, what truly keeps the dedicated player base engaged is the nuanced romance system that allows for diverse relational dynamics.

The game offers gamers a chance to get involved with various characters, including a vampire, a shapeshifting druid, a melancholic wizard, and even a devil. Yet, an intriguing aspect has emerged where players are drawn to the idea of romantically uniting the unromanceable Gortash, primarily because of the link he shares with the Dark Urge character.

Despite the growing demand from fans for a romantic storyline featuring Gortash, Larian Studios has made it clear that no further romance content will be introduced in upcoming updates. Despite this, Baudelaire Welch, previously known for heading up the design of romantic and friendly relationship characters, has expressed his backing for the favored duo.

In a recent conversation with Eurogamer regarding the creation of the Dark Urge, Welch admitted that they did not foresee the community's fondness for the Dark Urge and Gortash pairing and expressed a desire to have anticipated it. "I truly embrace the idea of the Dark Urge and Gortash as a couple, though I was caught off guard," Welch explained. They noted that the creative vision for Gortash initially depicted him as an elderly character, and the reveal of his model shifted that perception dramatically.

Welch reflected on the missed opportunity to incorporate subtle narrative cues that could have further developed this unexpected relationship. They conveyed their disappointment for not incorporating additional Dark Urge sequences within the game, especially during cinematic moments, because the main storyline was largely finalized when the Dark Urge concept was introduced to the project.

Nonetheless, fans have a reason to be hopeful, as Larian Studios is set to release Patch 7 next month, which promises to introduce new endings for the Dark Urge storyline that players can explore.

Later, in a response on X / Twitter, Welch acknowledged a fan's comment about the storyline, saying: "Apologies for not capturing the aging scene with the bandleader and the dragon properly; at least you know I support it. Seeing the fan interpretations of Durgetash is genuinely some of my favorite content."