Side question:

Is it worth playing if you're not into dnd? I saw lots of replies mention how it perfectly implements dnd 5e but that has 0 value for me. Is the game itself good not counting the dnd association, lack of anti features, release anticipation etc?

I'm being peer-pressured into playing it with friends, it's an ok game. The quality is there, it's full of content, though I wouldn't say my lack of hype was misplaced - I'd still rather play some other niche games in my library.

What rubs me the wrong way is it's GPU load even with lower graphical settings, and the hundred gigabytes of mandatory high-res textures and whatnot;
I find the UX clunky and infuriating at times, which is not ideal but acceptable for the genre.

What I really respect BG3 (and Larian) for is that its overall a very solid game and it's making the AAA industry seethe, apparently.
It's also DRM-free, but I would definitely buy it rather than Steam-Familying it if I were into its subgenre (and if it wasn't a GPU hog).

The game is really, really good.

Genuinely, it’s just a really fucking good game and I think thats most of it.

Marketing. It generally being a good game and part of a beloved series, set in a beloved franchise (D&D). WOTC has been marketing and growing the Hells out of D&D lately. The recent movie and this game are part of that.