In a staggering display of dedication and enthusiasm, players of the popular game Baldur's Gate 3 have collectively logged a mind-boggling 452.5 million hours of playtime, equivalent to a staggering 51,662 years. These impressive statistics were released by the game's creators, Larian Studios, following the recent release of the game's largest update to date, coinciding with the four-month anniversary of its PC launch.

To put this astronomical figure into perspective, this amount of time would take us back to a time when Homo sapiens first settled in western Europe, when string and a needle were first used, and when the ancient skill of fire-lighting using flint was invented. It significantly predates the domestication of dogs and the emergence of human civilization as we know it today.

Delving further into the numbers, a whopping 8,196 years alone have been spent in Baldur's Gate 3's character creator, capturing the attention of 94% of players who opted to create their own unique characters. Interestingly, the most popular character class is the Paladin, closely followed by Sorcerers and Fighters. As for favorite species, Elves take the top spot, with Humans, Half-Elves, and Tieflings following suit.

While many players enjoy the freedom of creating their own characters, those who chose the pre-made 'origin' characters showed a preference for Gale, closely followed by the enigmatic vampire, Astarion. In terms of romance options, Shadowheart emerged as the top choice, with a majority of players reaching the final act of her storyline. The cleric Karlach and warrior Lae'zel also captured the hearts of numerous players.

The immense shared playtime has resulted in an impressive 1.3 million players successfully completing the game, a significant achievement indeed. However, it is the unexpected number of players turned into sentient wheels of cheese that raises eyebrows, with an astonishing 1.24 million players experiencing this unique twist in the game.

Furthermore, Baldur's Gate 3 introduced a new hardcore difficulty mode called Honour mode, which has proven to be exceptionally challenging. Since its addition just a week ago, only 464 parties have managed to survive this grueling mode, while over 34,000 players have met their demise in their attempts, accounting for more than 158,000 playthroughs.

Baldur's Gate 3 continues to captivate players worldwide, immersing them in a rich and expansive role-playing experience. With the game's dedicated fanbase constantly pushing boundaries and achieving remarkable milestones, it is clear that Baldur's Gate 3 is a force to be reckoned with in the world of CRPGs.