For a first playthrough, finish The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s main story, then play Hearts of Stone, followed by Blood and Wine. That sequence is practical story-and-progression guidance, not a mandatory rule stated by CD PROJEKT RED. The publisher describes Hearts of Stone as a 10-hour-plus adventure and Blood and Wine as a 20-hour-plus tale. Its Complete Edition description calls the base game “over 100 hours” and says the expansions add another 50 hours together. Those are broad publisher estimates, not guaranteed completion times for every player.
What is the correct Witcher 3 play order?
The most straightforward first-play order is:
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt main story.
- Hearts of Stone.
- Blood and Wine.
This order lets you experience Geralt’s principal adventure before moving into the two large story expansions. It also places the larger, later-feeling Blood and Wine campaign last, making it a natural epilogue to a complete playthrough.
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![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 |
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Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - Xbox One | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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CD PROJEKT RED describes both add-ons as major expansions that continue Geralt’s adventures, but the official material cited for the game does not declare a mandatory starting order. You can begin either expansion separately from the main menu. Therefore, “main story, Hearts of Stone, then Blood and Wine” is a recommendation for a coherent first run, not a restriction enforced by the game.
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Hearts of Stone
Hearts of Stone is an all-new adventure centered on a contract involving the mysterious Man of Glass. Its story uses familiar parts of the Northern Realms, including No Man’s Land and Oxenfurt, rather than introducing an entirely separate country-sized map. CD PROJEKT RED announced it in 2015 as a “10-hour-plus adventure.” That figure is a publisher estimate and does not specify whether it means a focused story route, a particular difficulty, or optional content.
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The expansion is best treated as a substantial side campaign for an established Geralt, not as a short mission pack. Starting it after the main story means you are more likely to have the equipment, abilities and level range needed to handle its encounters comfortably. If you begin it earlier, follow the level guidance shown in your quest log and expect difficulty to vary with your build and exploration habits.
Blood and Wine
Blood and Wine introduces the in-game region of Toussaint and a separate long-form tale. The publisher announced it as a “20-hour-plus tale” in 2015. Toussaint’s setting, characters and tone make the expansion feel distinct from the base game, which is why many players use it as the final chapter of Geralt’s journey.
Its advertised duration is longer than the Hearts of Stone estimate, but “20 hours-plus” is not a completion guarantee. Optional quests, exploration, contracts, treasure hunts, difficulty, reloads and time spent in menus can all move an individual playthrough above or below that figure.
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You can, but the recommended first-play route is to complete the base-game story first. The expansions are designed as continuing adventures and are easier to place emotionally and narratively once you know the main campaign’s characters and consequences.
If you are playing the complete game naturally
Continue through the main story and its optional quests, then move to Hearts of Stone. After that campaign, start Blood and Wine and use it as your closing adventure. This approach avoids interrupting the base-game finale with a separate plot and gives you a clear final destination.
If you have already finished the main story
Start with Hearts of Stone, then play Blood and Wine. You do not need to replay the base game to access either expansion if your edition and platform entitlement include them.
If you want to sample an expansion immediately
The official FAQ says either expansion can be started separately from the main menu. A separate-start option is useful if you want to see an expansion’s content without building a character through the entire base game. It is not the same as inserting the expansion into your existing narrative save, so read the menu option carefully and keep your original save files.
How do you access the expansions?
CD PROJEKT RED’s current game information says the Complete Edition includes the base game, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. The publisher also says owners of the base game should update to install the expansions. Exact entitlement screens and download steps can differ by platform and storefront, so verify the listing associated with your account before buying or reinstalling.
| Situation | What the publisher says | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| You own the Complete Edition | It includes the base game and both major expansions. | Confirm that both expansion downloads or add-ons are installed on your platform. |
| You own the original base game | Existing owners should update to install the expansions, according to the publisher’s FAQ. | Open your platform’s game-management page and check for available updates or included add-ons. |
| You want to buy only the old base game digitally | The FAQ says the standalone base game was replaced by the Complete Edition on digital storefronts and standalone expansion products were delisted. | Check your platform’s current store listing; availability can differ by storefront and region. |
| You want to start an expansion as a new game | Either expansion can be started separately from the main menu. | Choose the separate expansion-start option rather than overwriting an existing campaign. |
“Delisted” does not mean an existing owner loses access. The same FAQ says owners retain their expansions and that existing save files remain compatible. Storefront wording, download entitlements and regional availability can change, so use the account and platform on which you own the game when checking access.
Will your existing save files still work?
According to CD PROJEKT RED’s FAQ, existing saves remain compatible when owners update to install the expansions. Keep a backup of important saves before a major installation or platform migration anyway, because local-save handling and cloud-sync behavior are controlled by the platform. If an expansion does not appear in-game after updating, fully close and restart the game, confirm that the add-on is installed for the same account that owns the base game, and check the platform’s downloadable-content management screen.
A separate new-game start from the main menu is a different mode from continuing your established save. Use your original campaign when you want your choices and character progression to carry forward; use the standalone option when you want a self-contained entry point.
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How long does The Witcher 3 take to beat?
There is no single verified completion time that applies to every player. The available official figures are promotional estimates with different descriptions, and they do not define one consistent completion style. Use them to understand the scale of the game rather than as a stopwatch promise.
| Content | Publisher estimate | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Hearts of Stone | 10 hours or more | CD PROJEKT RED announcement from 2015; an estimate for the adventure, not an independently measured average. |
| Blood and Wine | 20 hours or more | CD PROJEKT RED announcement from 2015; optional exploration and side content can change the time. |
| Base game | Over 100 hours | Figure used in the publisher’s Complete Edition description; the source does not define a uniform completion route. |
| Both expansions together | Another 50 hours | Broad Complete Edition marketing guidance, not a guaranteed additive total for an individual save. |
Do not turn these numbers into an exact “150-hour” promise. The base-game description and the combined-expansions figure use broad promotional language, while the individual expansion announcements use “10-hour-plus” and “20-hour-plus.” They may reflect different assumptions about what a player does. A completionist who investigates every question mark, contract, treasure hunt and optional quest can take substantially longer than someone following critical paths.
What changes your personal finish time?
- Optional content: Side quests, contracts, treasure hunts and map activities add hours beyond the principal storyline.
- Exploration: Discovering locations, reading in-game material and experimenting with crafting or alchemy slows a direct run but increases the amount of content seen.
- Difficulty and reloads: Tough fights, failed choices and repeated encounters extend elapsed time.
- Play style: Fast travel and objective-focused play produce a different result from riding between every location.
- Edition and platform setup: Installation, updates and access checks affect when you can begin, but they are not part of the game’s advertised playtime.
How should you plan a first playthrough?
- Install and update the base game. Confirm that your platform recognizes the edition or add-ons tied to your account.
- Play the base-game campaign at your own pace. Complete side content when it interests you; there is no need to rush toward an advertised hour count.
- Finish the main story before choosing your first expansion. This keeps the broad narrative progression intact for a first run.
- Start Hearts of Stone. Use the existing character if you want continuity, or select its separate menu start if you want a standalone experience.
- Move to Blood and Wine last. Its Toussaint setting and longer advertised campaign make it a natural closing chapter.
- Protect your saves. Keep a manual save before beginning each expansion and before major updates or platform transfers.
Can you buy the original base game without the expansions?
CD PROJEKT RED’s FAQ says the standalone base game was replaced by the Complete Edition on digital storefronts and that standalone expansion products were delisted. That describes the publisher’s digital-store policy cited there; it does not guarantee identical listings in every country, on every platform or through every retailer. Check the current store page for your specific system before assuming that a base-only purchase is available.
If you already owned the base game and later obtain the expansions, the publisher says your existing saves remain compatible and that you retain your expansions. In practice, the important distinction is between what your account already owns and what a current storefront presents to new buyers.
Was there a physical Complete Edition?
Yes. A 2021 Nintendo Switch announcement documented a Complete Edition game card containing the base game, both expansions and the free downloadable content. That establishes that a physical Switch edition existed at that time. It does not establish current retailer stock, used-market condition or availability in a particular country. Treat any present-day listing as a platform-and-region-specific question.
What did the publisher claim about the expansions?
In the 2015 expansion announcement, CD PROJEKT RED co-founder Marcin Iwiński said: “Both our expansions offer more hours of gameplay than quite a few standalone games out there.” The sentence is promotional context for the announced expansions, not an independently measured comparison. It supports the point that these are unusually substantial add-ons, while the more concrete duration guidance remains the publisher’s 10-hour-plus and 20-hour-plus estimates.
What is the practical answer for different kinds of players?
You want the most coherent story
Play the main story, then Hearts of Stone, then Blood and Wine. Keep one or more saves before each transition so you can revisit earlier content without replaying the entire game.
You have limited time
Prioritize the base-game main story and choose one expansion afterward. The publisher’s estimates suggest that Hearts of Stone is the shorter commitment at 10 hours or more, while Blood and Wine is 20 hours or more before optional content is considered.
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Plan for a much larger commitment than the headline estimates. The publisher describes the base game as over 100 hours and both expansions as another 50 hours, but extensive exploration, side quests and repeated combat can push an individual run beyond those broad figures.
You are returning after a long break
Use the main menu’s separate expansion start if you want a quick refresher without locating an old save. Continue your existing save when preserving your earlier decisions matters more than convenience.
Bottom line on order, access and time
For a first-time player, the reliable recommendation is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt main story, then Hearts of Stone, then Blood and Wine. The order is sensible rather than compulsory. CD PROJEKT RED’s published scale is 10 hours or more for Hearts of Stone, 20 hours or more for Blood and Wine, and more than 100 hours for the base game, with another 50 hours described for both expansions together. The Complete Edition includes the major expansions, existing owners’ saves remain compatible, and either expansion can be launched separately from the main menu; current purchase and stock details still depend on your platform and storefront.
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