Yes. You can play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt without finishing the first two games: its main story gives Geralt a clear goal—find Ciri, his adopted daughter, while the Wild Hunt pursues her. The earlier games add history and character context, but they are not necessary to understand that central objective.
What you’ll understand if you start with The Witcher 3
The game is an open-world role-playing adventure built around Geralt’s search for Ciri. Its official description also highlights consequential choices, combat and two major story expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. You can follow the main pursuit without knowing every earlier event in Geralt’s life.
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The first two games are earlier chapters in the saga. CD PROJEKT RED’s series overview describes how they introduce Geralt and develop his personal and political story; The Witcher 3 shifts the focus to finding Ciri. That background can make familiar characters and past relationships more meaningful, but the publisher’s descriptions do not establish the earlier games as prerequisites for following the third game’s main plot.
Should you play the earlier games first?
| If you want… | A sensible starting point |
|---|---|
| To get into Geralt’s search for Ciri without a lengthy lead-in | Start with The Witcher 3. |
| To experience Geralt’s relationships and choices in chronological game order | Start with The Witcher, then play The Witcher 2 and The Witcher 3. |
| Some continuity with selected decisions from The Witcher 2, without playing it | Use the choice-simulation option described in the PC manual, if it is available in your version. |
The Witcher 2 has branching paths shaped by player decisions, so playing it first offers a fuller sense of how choices and events carry forward. If you skip it, the English-language PC manual says you can answer questions to simulate some of those decisions. This is not a claim that the option imports an exact save or works identically on every platform; the cited documentation is for the PC version.
#1 Best Overall
![NAMCO - CD Projekt Red - The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - Complete Edition, Playstation 5 [English Edition]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51dWUfwFl5L._SL160_.jpg)
- 1205504
- High-quality material
- Durable
- robustness
Which edition is available?
In an announcement published by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered was listed as available for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement says the expansions are available to owners of the game on those platforms. Check the platform store and your region for the edition and availability that apply to you before buying; the announcement does not establish regional prices or physical-edition availability.
Sources: CD PROJEKT RED’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt overview; its classics and saga overview; the English PC game manual; and its Remastered availability announcement.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Incredibly detailed 7” scale figure based off The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Video Game
- Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing
- Geralt features his classic Viper Armor dyed teal like you can do in game
- Includes silver sword, steel sword, and base
- Showcased in The Witcher themed window box packaging
Rank #3
- Incredibly detailed 7” scale figure based off The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Video Game
- Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing
- Includes Geralt’s silver sword, steel sword, sheath, Griffin head trophy, Igni fire blast, and base
- Figure may vary as ultra rare Chase Figure may be received
- Showcased in The Witcher themed window box packaging
Rank #2
- A fully modernized remake of the originals: Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements make these the best versions of the games yet.
- Traditional DRAGON QUEST style battles: A refined take on the classic turn-based battle system, featuring new animations, additional improvements such as an adjustable battle speed, an auto-battle setting, and more.
- Two legendary adventures, in one package: Experience the epic origins of the DRAGON QUEST series with both DRAGON QUEST I and DRAGON QUEST II. Two games beautifully remade and bundled together in one definitive offering.
- Experience a timeless musical score: An immersive, authentic, and diverse musical composition that captures the timeless essence and magic of the DRAGON QUEST universe.
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