A long awaited update on the BG3 Act 2 Expansion
It’s been a full year since SquallyDaBeanz first showed us hungry Baldur’s Gate players what the Act Two Expansion could be. And now, we have a new trailer and a comprehensive update on where the project stands and is headed.
The short version: the mod is not out yet, it won’t be in the first half of 2026 either, and that’s because it’s grown considerably beyond the original vision.
That last part is actually the most exciting news.
New trailer for the Act Two Expansion mod. Looking better than ever. | Credit SquallyDaBeanz, YouTube
NPCs and quests
When this project was first announced, SquallyDaBeanz was clear: no new NPCs, narrative-light, focused on exploration and combat. That stance has now changed entirely.
“I previously stated there wouldn’t be new NPCs but I’ve since gone back on that stance. While the mod is still focused heavily on exploration and combat, it felt very lacking without character interactions and conversations.”
This is a significant shift. Adding NPCs and quests to a mod of this scale is a massive undertaking, taking steps closer to pure game development. This has to be one of the hardest parts of BG3 modding. The fact that SquallyDaBeanz chose to go back, iterate and do it properly, even at the cost of the timeline, says a lot about the commitment to quality and the community.
This fascinates me, that good people of pure dedication and love of the game continue to dedicate hours of their lives for projects like this.
This shows an admirable amount of dedication and motivation.
We cannot expect writing and reactivity at the excellent Larian level, and that’s fair. No one should expect that from a solo project. What matters is that the area now feels inhabited, not just a combat sandbox.
To keep things manageable and avoid messing with Act 3, all story choices are self-contained to the new region. NPCs you meet won’t carry over into the rest of the game. Clean, sensible scope management.
What does the BG3 Act 2 expansion mod contain?
Dark and moody. I like! | Credit YouTube trailer
For those coming in fresh, the short version is as follows: Act Two Expansion adds a new region accessible after the Shadow-Cursed Lands, set around the Chionthar River crossing before reaching Baldur’s Gate. The story involves Tav and the gang navigating an epic battle against the Absolute’s army at Rivington.
In terms of content, the mod now includes:
- A new region comparable in scope to Act 1’s Wilderness
- New NPCs with dialogue and self-contained quests
- New dungeons, encounters, secrets, and puzzles
- Over 70 new items: found in chests, on enemies, from traders, and hidden throughout the area
- New enemies, spells, and combat mechanics
- Full multiplayer support (everyone needs the mod in their load order)
- Balanced for level 8–10 characters
You will get trolled. / Credit Trailer, YouTube
There is however no support for consoles, due to the mod requirements on those platforms.
The mod is fully integrated into the base game now, you move from Act 2 into the expansion, then continue into Act 3 without any breaks in flow.
Release window
No firm date yet, but we have the year! A playable version is planned for 2026, but the second half of the year is looking more realistic now.
SquallyDaBeanz is clear that the timing depends on how much there is to fix after proper playtesting, and with a project this size, that’s a fair, honest and understandable answer.
The mod will be released on Nexusmods.
Still one of the most ambitious mods in BG3 history
A year ago I wrote that the Act Two Expansion was impressive because of its scale.
Now, with quests, NPCs, 70+ items, and a combat system that’s been tuned and refined over hundreds of hours, it’s even more impressive.
The delay is not a red flag. It’s the modder doing the right thing: recognising that the original vision needed iteration, and choosing to build something worth playing rather than shipping something half-baked on time.
If you want to follow progress or support the project:
I was far more active in Baldur’s Gate when I wrote the original article a year ago, but seeing the second trailer made me realise I really miss visiting the Forgotten Realms on a weekly basis. I really wish there was more content like this out there, and that it was easier and quicker for people to make content of this scale.
Having said that, I cannot wait to test this mod when it relases
Sailing into the future. Credit Trailer, Youtube
