Mods can be a fun way to add more content to a game, and we’ve seen with titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance II how they let you tailor the experience to your preference. However, one of the many challenges modders face is potential backlash from the game’s original publishers and developers. But every now and then, a mod comes along that is so well-made that even the devs have to put their swords down and appreciate the effort that went into it.

Baldur's Gate 3 and Stardew Valley are great examples of games with thriving modding communities, and despite being out for some time now, we still continue to see plenty of creative mods for both. However, this one takes things to the next level. Over on NexusMods, creator Xun and their team has released a full-on expansion called Baldur's Village, which blends the best of Stardew Valley with the characters from Baldur's Gate 3, creating a unique crossover experience.

Baldur’s Gate 3 x Stardew Valley

Baldur’s Village is a fan-made expansion mod that brings Baldur’s Gate 3 characters to Stardew Valley. This expansion features over 20 hand-drawn Baldur’s Gate 3 characters, six new locations, new shops with special items, dynamic events, and much more to explore. The mod also includes a fully romanceable Astarion, along with special events featuring him. According to the mod creators, there are even plans to add romance options for Halsin in the future.

“A new village has recently been built north of Pelican Town, and its new residents seem… rather unusual. You can find the entrance to Baldur’s Village at the top of the southern mountain map, right next to Linus’ tent.

Baldur’s Village is a large expansion mod for Stardew Valley, inspired by Baldur's Gate 3. It introduces a brand-new village map and NPCs while staying true to the game’s original atmosphere. Among them, Astarion features a fully developed personal storyline and is available for marriage.”

Nexus Mods

The overall aesthetics of the game are obviously just like Stardew Valley, but instead of finding Alex roaming around, you’ll come across Gale or Laezel. Another interesting highlight of this expansion is the Stardew Valley-like dialogues, complete with cute and accurate portraits designed for each BG3 character. The village offers plenty to explore, from visiting Shadowheart’s house to stopping by Rolan’s Tavern, so there's always something fun to discover.

On top of everything, Stardew Valley seems to be seeing a surge of players, at least on Steam. Player numbers sourced from SteamDB show the player base has been on the up in the past week, peaking over 130,000 on the weekend compared to previous weekend highs of around 90,000.

Even Larian’s Swen Vincke is impressed with this mod

Larian CEO Swen Vincke, the head of the studio behind Baldur's Gate 3, is also impressed with the efforts of the Baldur's Village developers and community. In a post on X, he shared his appreciation with the caption, “So much love went into this – amazing work!”. And if the mod continues to get endorsements like that, the creator promises to add more exciting updates and character storylines in the future.

So if you want to support this expansion, the best thing you can do is download it, share it with friends, and keep that endorsement count climbing. That said, installing the mod isn't the easiest process, as you'll need to download three different files for it to work. If you're looking for a visual guide to help with the setup, we recommend checking out this video or you can follow the steps in the description.

About the Author

Hassam Nasir

Hassam boasts over seven years of professional experience as a dedicated PC hardware reviewer and writer.