The Tool Desk
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Recommended order: main story, Hearts of Stone, then Blood and Wine
- Finish the main story. This lets the expansions work as additional adventures after you have spent time building up Geralt. It is a recommended way to pace a first playthrough, not a prerequisite enforced by the game.
- Play Hearts of Stone. Its contract sends Geralt to No Man’s Land and Oxenfurt, making it feel like a focused additional adventure rather than a trip to a wholly new region.
- Play Blood and Wine last. It introduces Toussaint, a large new setting that makes a satisfying final destination if you want the last expansion to feel like a closing chapter.
CD PROJEKT RED announced Hearts of Stone as the first expansion and Blood and Wine as the second, but that release framing does not establish a mandatory story sequence. The suggested play order here is based on their settings and the kind of ending each can provide. CD PROJEKT RED’s expansion announcement describes the settings and original scope estimates.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![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)
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NAMCO - CD Projekt Red - The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - Complete Edition, Playstation 5 [English Edition] | $37.16 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - Xbox One | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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How the two expansions differ
| Expansion | Setting and feel | Publisher scope estimate | Best narrative placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hearts of Stone | No Man’s Land and Oxenfurt; Geralt takes a contract from the Man of Glass. | 10 hours or more, as estimated by CD PROJEKT RED in its 2015 announcement; this is not a guaranteed completion time. | A substantial extra contract after the main story, before moving on to Toussaint. |
| Blood and Wine | Toussaint, a new region portrayed as seemingly untouched by war, where knightly ritual and carefree indulgence conceal a secret. | 20 hours or more, as estimated by CD PROJEKT RED in its 2015 announcement; this is not a guaranteed completion time. | A natural final adventure if you want a new region and a sense of closure at the end. |
The hour figures are the publisher’s estimates from the expansions’ 2015 announcement, not a promise about how long any individual playthrough will take.
What level should you be?
Use the levels as guidance rather than entry requirements. A nonofficial guide reports in-game quest-log recommendations of level 32 for Hearts of Stone and level 34 for Blood and Wine. The game’s own quest log and how your build performs are more useful checks than treating those figures as gates. The Witcher 3 Remastered Wiki’s guide is the source for those reported recommendations.
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There is also separate, historical guidance for starting Blood and Wine on its own. In a 2016 interview with game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz reproduced on CD PROJEKT RED’s forum, he said the standalone start sets Geralt to level 34, but considered level 36 or 37 more appropriate because level 34 could be difficult. That is advice about the standalone start, not a universal minimum or a guarantee that the same level will feel equally easy with every build or version. Read the interview as reproduced in the forum thread.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you start either expansion separately?
Yes. CD PROJEKT RED’s 2026 support FAQ says that players can start each expansion separately from the main menu. It also says that, from the 2026 update, owners of the base game can update to install both expansions at no extra cost. The company’s press release confirms that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered became available on September 29, 2026 and includes both expansions. Check CD PROJEKT RED’s FAQ for current platform and store details; the Remastered availability announcement gives the dated release information.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
- If you buy this game, you will receive a free next-gen update on December 14th!
- Play as a highly trained monster slayer for hire.
- Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth and complexity.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game of the Year edition brings together the base game and all the additional content released to date.
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