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For the smoothest first playthrough, finish The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s main story, then play Hearts of Stone, followed by Blood and Wine. That sequence preserves the main campaign’s momentum and saves Toussaint—the setting of the second expansion—for Geralt’s closing adventure. It is a story recommendation, not a required unlock order.
Recommended order for a first playthrough
- Finish the main story. Complete the central campaign before shifting to the expansions, so its urgent search-and-rescue plot can reach its conclusion without interruption.
- Play Hearts of Stone. It is a distinct Geralt story and makes a natural first expansion after the main campaign.
- Play Blood and Wine. This second expansion takes Geralt to Toussaint for a separate adventure, making it a fitting final chapter.
CD PROJEKT RED announced Hearts of Stone before Blood and Wine, and described the latter as the second expansion. The order above follows that release sequence and the way Blood and Wine serves as a more conclusive, separate adventure; it is not a mandatory chronology imposed by the game.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 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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Can you play the expansions before finishing the main story?
Yes. CD PROJEKT RED’s support FAQ says the expansions can be started separately from the main menu in the FAQ’s supported game context. That means you have access flexibility, not that an early start is the best story order for a first run.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If you choose to start an expansion during the campaign, you may break up the main plot’s urgent search. That can suit a replay or a player prioritizing early access, but it is a less linear way to experience the story.
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Where does Hearts of Stone fit in the timeline?
Hearts of Stone is a separate story, but the official material cited here does not establish its exact placement mission by mission within the main campaign. Players may encounter it while the campaign is underway; there is no need to treat a specific point in the main quest as its definitive canonical slot. For a first playthrough, finishing the main story before starting it is the simpler choice.
Why save Blood and Wine for last?
Blood and Wine sends Geralt to Toussaint, a new region portrayed as relatively insulated from the war-torn setting of the main game. CD PROJEKT RED announced it as the second expansion and described it as “a 20-hour tale.” That is the publisher’s announced scope, not a promised completion time for every player.
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- 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.
Its distinct setting and framing as a later adventure make it a natural expansion finale. This is a narrative recommendation rather than proof of an exact in-world year or a universally fixed chronology.
What about the announced Songs of the Past expansion?
CD PROJEKT RED has announced Songs of the Past for 2027; the planned release timing may change. In a September 30, 2026 report, GamesRadar quoted Fool’s Theory creative vision director Karolina Kuzia-Rokosz saying players would be able to start it immediately after finishing the main story without completing the earlier expansions. The report also quotes her saying its timeline follows those expansions. That describes practical access separately from narrative order: the traditional sequence for the original campaign and its two classic expansions remains main story → Hearts of Stone → Blood and Wine.
Quick Recap
Sources
- CD PROJEKT RED: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt official game page
- CD PROJEKT RED Support: Expansion packs
- CD PROJEKT RED: Blood and Wine announcement
- Push Square: Developer interview on Blood and Wine
- GamesRadar, September 30, 2026: Report on Songs of the Past
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