If you have time for one game before The Witcher 4, play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CD PROJEKT RED calls the new game a successor to The Witcher 3, but also the start of a new saga starring Ciri—not a reason to complete every previous game, expansion, or book.
What should you play first?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the priority
It is the clearest preparation because CD PROJEKT RED’s December 13, 2024 announcement identifies The Witcher IV as a successor to The Witcher 3. The studio also says the new game begins a brand-new saga, with Ciri at its heart. That makes The Witcher 3 the best single choice for understanding the immediate mainline connection without treating the whole franchise as required homework.
Expansions add time in the setting, not a confirmed requirement
If you finish the base game and want more, consider Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. CD PROJEKT RED’s September 2, 2026 update said both expansions were included in the planned The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remaster, then scheduled for September 29, 2026. The cited official announcements do not say either expansion is necessary before The Witcher IV.
What to read for optional context
Start with The Last Wish, then Sword of Destiny
CD PROJEKT RED describes the games as set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski’s books. If you want that source-universe context, reading the short-story collections The Last Wish and then Sword of Destiny is a useful editorial starting point. It is a suggestion, not an official reading order for The Witcher IV: the studio’s cited material does not name required books or prescribe a sequence.
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How the other games fit
The earlier games and spin-offs are optional for a focused catch-up. CD PROJEKT RED’s official franchise catalog lists The Witcher Classics, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, and GWENT, but does not identify them as preparation required for the new game.
| Option | Story relevance to The Witcher IV | Time commitment | Officially established prerequisite? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Highest among these options: named as the successor’s immediate mainline predecessor | Not stated by the cited official sources | No requirement is stated; it is the strongest-supported priority |
| Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine | Optional additional time in the game’s setting | Not stated by the cited official sources | No |
| The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny | Optional context for the books’ shared universe | Not stated by the cited official sources | No reading requirement or official order is stated |
| Earlier games, Thronebreaker, or GWENT | Optional franchise exploration; the cited material does not establish a direct preparation role | Not stated by the cited official sources | No |
A practical catch-up plan
- For the shortest focused route: play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
- If you want more afterward: add Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine as optional expansions.
- If you prefer reading: try The Last Wish followed by Sword of Destiny for optional source-universe context.
- If you are a completionist: explore the earlier games and spin-offs, but do not mistake the franchise catalog for a required checklist.
What is known—and what remains undisclosed
The official announcement establishes Ciri as protagonist and describes The Witcher IV as the first game in a new saga. It does not establish the full chronology across the books and games, which past player choices carry forward, or whether the expansions are required. Avoid relying on assumed answers to those questions when deciding how much to catch up on.
In a September 2, 2026 company update, CD PROJEKT RED gave The Witcher IV a planned 2028 release window. That is a plan, not a guaranteed date. The same update scheduled The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past for 2027 and said the remaster was due September 29, 2026; it does not, by itself, confirm whether either release has since arrived or changed. Check the studio’s current announcements for later timing or availability updates.
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