CD Projekt Red is known for making huge and ambitious games and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt isn’t any different. Being an open-world RPG, Witcher 3 was never going to be a short game and some might even call it one of the longest games of our generation.
In order to complete just the main campaign, you’re gonna have to devote a lot of time to it. The game is massive and brimming with side content. The playtime can fluctuate from player to player depending on their playstyles but we’re going to give some estimates on how long it’ll take you to complete the game on average.
The main campaign of The Witcher 3 will take you around 50 hours to complete. For completing the game 100% including the expansions, you’ll require more than 150 hours. Those who like taking their time while playing the game may even take more than 200 hours to complete everything.
The playtime will differ from person to person depending on how they want to approach the game but the estimates above should give you a good idea of just how big The Witcher 3 is, even without the expansions.
1. Difficulty
Before you start off your journey in The Witcher 3, you’ll be presented with four difficulties which are:
- Just The Story!
- Story and Sword!
- Blood and Broken Bones!
- Death March!
Difficulty matters a lot as choosing a higher difficulty will significantly increase your playtime as you might get stuck on a specific part or boss of the game which you’ll have to replay again and again. We recommend playing the game on the balanced difficulty for the best experience on your first playthrough.
2. How long are The Witcher 3 expansions?
Hearts of Stone: The first expansion is called Hearts of Stone and its campaign is significantly shorter than the main game, clocking in at an average time of 10 hours. The expansion also has its own side content so the playtime can extend just a bit more.
Blood and Wine: Blood and Wine is the second expansion of the game and its campaign is a bit more substantial than its predecessor. This expansion clocks in at 15 hours and it also has its own side quests which significantly increase the playtime.
3. Is the Witcher 3 longer than Cyberpunk?
Cyberpunk 2077’s main campaign is actually shorter than The Witcher 3’s main campaign. This change was made due to players complaining about The Witcher 3’s campaign being too long and some players didn’t even finish the main campaign of the game.
“We do know that the main story run in Cyberpunk 2077 is slightly shorter than The Witcher 3,” Patrick K Mills stated, who’s also Cyberpunk’s senior quest designer. Even though the main story of Cyberpunk is shorter than The Witcher 3, there’s still plenty of side stuff to do in both games.
4. How many endings does The Witcher 3 have?
The Witcher 3 has 36 different endings. This doesn’t mean that the game has 36 different cutscenes for the endings, it simply means that there can be a lot of variations in the game’s world after the game ends.
The 36 endings aren’t connected to the main story only and also cover various side mission outcomes and other decisions which aren’t that important. There are actually 3 main outcomes for The Witcher 3 ending, while the other endings revolve around specific side missions or characters.
5. Will there be The Witcher 4?
The Witcher 4 is officially confirmed codenamed Project Polaris and it’ll be “a story-driven open-world RPG built on the legacy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt”. It isn’t a surprise considering how much of a huge success The Witcher 3 is.
Project Polaris will be the beginning of a new Witcher trilogy, and the three games will be delivered over a six-year period. CDPR stated that the new Witcher game will be released before The Witcher Remake. There’s no release date yet but don’t expect it to release very soon as the game entered pre-production earlier this year.
6. All Main Story Questlines
These are all the main story questlines that you’ll need to complete:
- Kaer Morhen
- Lilac and Gooseberries
- The Beast of White Orchard
- The Incident at White Orchard
- Imperial Audience
- In Ciri’s Footsteps
- The Nilfgaard Connection
- Bloody Baron
- Ciri’s Story: King of the Wolves
- Family Matters
- A Princess in Distress
- Ciri’s Story: The Race
- Ciri’s Story: Out of the Shadows
- Hunting a Witch
- Wandering in the Dark
- Ladies of the Wood
- The Whispering Hillock
- Ciri’s Story: Fleeing the Bog
- Pyres of Novigrad
- Novigrad Dreaming
- Broken Flowers
- Get Junior
- Ciri’s Story: Visiting Junior
- Count Reuven’s Treasure
- The Play’s The Thing
- Poet Under Pressure
- Ciri’s Story: Breakneck Speed
- Echoes of the Past
- Missing Persons
- Nameless
- The Calm Before the Storm
- Ugly Baby
- The Isle of Mists
- The Battle of Kaer Morhen
- Blood on the Battlefield
- Bald Mountain
- Final Preparations
- Blindingly Obvious
- The Great Escape
- Payback
- Through Space and Time
- Battle Preparations
- On Thin Ice
- Tedd Deireadh, The Final Age
I. Hearts of Stone Expansion Questlines
- Evil’s First Soft Touches
- Open Sesame!
- Dead Man’s Party
- Scenes From A Marriage
- Whatsoever a Man Soweth
II. Blood and Wine Expansion Questlines
- Envoys, Wineboys
- The Beast of Toussaint
- Blood Run
- La Cage au Fou
- Where Children Toil, Toys Waste Away
- Wine is Sacred
- The Man from Cintra
- Capture the Castle
- The Night of the Long Fangs
- Story Branch 1
- Beyond Hill and Dale
- Tesham Mutna
- Pomp and Strange Circumstance or Burlap is the New Stripe
- Be It Ever So Humble
- Story Branch 2
- Blood Simple
- What Lies Unseen
- Tesham Mutna
- Pomp and Strange Circumstance
- Be It Ever So Humble
7. All Side Quests List
Below is the list of all side quests in The Witcher 3 and they’re divided into regions so you can navigate through them with ease:
I. White Orchard Side Quests
- A Frying Pan, Spick and Span
- Contract: Devil by the Well
- Missing in Action
- On Death’s Bed
- Precious Cargo
- Scavenger Hunt: Viper School Gear
- Treasure Hunt: Deserter Gold
- Treasure Hunt: Dirty Funds
- Treasure Hunt: Temerian Valuables
- Twisted Firestarter
II. Velen Side Quests
- A Dog’s Life
- A Favor for a Friend
- A Greedy God
- A Towerful of Mice
- An Invitation from Keira Metz
- Bitter Harvest
- Ciri’s Room
- Contract: Jenny o’ the Woods
- Contract: Missing Brother
- Contract: Mysterious Tracks
- Contract: Phantom of the Trade Route
- Contract: Shrieker
- Contract: Swamp Thing
- Contract: The Merry Widow
- Contract: The Mystery of the Byways Murders
- Contract: Woodland Beast
- Death by Fire
- Defender of the Faith
- Fake Papers
- For the Advancement of Learning
- Forefather’s Eve
- Funeral Pyres
- Ghost of the Past
- Gwent: Velen Players
- Harassing a Troll
- Last Rites
- Magic Lamp
- Man’s Best Friend
- Patrol Gone Missing
- Races: Crow’s Perch
- Return to Crookback Bog
- Scavenger Hunt: Griffin School Gear
- The Fall of the House of Reardon
- The Truth is in the Stars
- Treasure Hunt: An Unfortunate Turn of Events
- Treasure Hunt: A Costly Mistake
- Treasure Hunt: Blood Gold
- Treasure Hunt: Hidden From the World
- Treasure Hunt: Lost Goods
- Treasure Hunt: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
- Treasure Hunt: Sunken Chest
- Treasure Hunt: Sunken Treasure
- Treasure Hunt: The Things Men Do For Coin…
- Treasure Hunt: Tough Luck
- Wild at Heart
- Witcher Wannabe
III. Novigrad Side Quests
- A Deadly Plot
- A Matter of Life and Death
- An Eye for an Eye
- Cabaret
- Carnal Sins
- Closed City
- Contract: Deadly Delight
- Contract: Lord of the Wood
- Contract: The Apiarian Phantom
- Contract: The White Lady
- Contract: The Oxenfurt Drunk
- Empty Coop
- Fencing Lessons
- Gwent: Big City Players
- Hey, You wanna look at my stuff?
- Honor Among Thieves
- Little Red
- Message from an Old Friend
- Now or Never
- Redania’s Most Wanted
- The Dwarven Document Dilemma
- The Flame of Hatred
- The Gangs of Novigrad
- The Most Truest of Basilisks
- The Volunteer
- Thou Shalt Not Pass
IV. Skellige Isles Side Quests
- A Hallowed Horn
- Contract: Here Comes the Groom
- Contract: Muire D’yaeblen
- Contract: Strange Beast
- Contract: The Phantom of Eldberg
- Iron Maiden
- King’s Gambit
- Possession
- Scavenger Hunt: Bear School Gear Upgrade Diagrams – Part 1
- Shock Therapy
- The Family Blade
- The Last Wish
- The Lord of Undvik
- The Nithing
- The Sad Tale of the Grossbard Brothers
V. Hearts of Stone Side Quests
- A Midnight Clear
- A Surprise Inheritance
- Avid Collector
- Enchanting: Quality Has Its Price
- Enchanting: Start-up Costs
- From Ofier’s Distant Shores
- Races: Swift as the Western Winds
- Roses on a Red Field
- The Cursed Chapel
- The Drakenborg Redemption
- The Royal Air Force
- The Secret Life of Count Romilly
- The Sword, Famine and Perfidy
- Tinker, Hunter, Soldier, Spy
- Without a Trace
VI. Blood and Wine Side Quests
- A Knight’s Tales
- A Portrait of the Witcher as an Old Man
- Big Feet to Fill
- Contract: Big Game Hunter
- Contract: Bovine Blues
- Contract: Equine Phantoms
- Contract: Feet as Cold as Ice
- Contract: The Tufo Monster
- Duck, Duck, Goosed!
- Extreme Cosplay
- Father Knows Worst
- Fists of Fury: Toussaint
- Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Granite!
- Gwent: Never Fear, Skellige’s Here
- Gwent: To Everything – Turn, Turn, Tournament!
- Knight for Hire
- Master Master Master Master!
- Mutual of Beauclair’s Wild Kingdom
- No Place Like Home
- Paperchase
- Of Sheers and a Witcher I Sing
- Raging Wolf
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Feline Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Griffin Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Manticore Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Ursine Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Wolven Gear
- Spoontaneous Profits!
- The Hunger Game
- The Warble of a Smitten Knight
- The Words of the Prophet Are Written on Sarcophagi
- There Can Be Only One
- Till Death Do You Part
- Treasure Hunt: Applied Escapology
- Treasure Hunt: Around the World in… Eight Days
- Treasure Hunt: But Other Than That, How Did You Enjoy the Play?
- Treasure Hunt: Coin Doesn’t Stink
- Treasure Hunt: Don’t Take Candy from a Stranger
- Treasure Hunt: Filibert Always Pays His Debts
- Treasure Hunt: The Black Widow
- Treasure Hunt: The Curse of Carnarvon
- Treasure Hunt: The Inconstant Gardener
- Treasure Hunt: The Last Exploits of Selina’s Gang
- Treasure Hunt: The Suffering of Young Francois
- Treasure Hunt: The Toussaint Prison Experiment
- Treasure Hunt: Waiting for Goe and Doh
- Treasure Hunt: What Was This About Again?
- Turn and Face the Strange
- Vitner’s Contract: Chuchote Cave
- Vitner’s Contract: Cleaning Those Hard-To-Reach Places
- Vitner’s Contract: Dun Tynne Hillside
- Vitner’s Contract: Griffin-in-the-Vines
- Vitner’s Contract: Rivecalme Storehouse
- Wine Wars: Belgaard
- Wine Wars: Coronata
- Wine Wars: Vermentino
- Wine Wars: The Dues in the Machina
8. All Romance Options
There are various opportunities for romantic and sexual encounters in The Witcher 3. But not all of the romances you do will be important to the story as there are only two primary romance options below. Here are all the romance options:
- Yennefer (important)
- Triss (important)
- Yennefer and Triss (doesn’t end well)
- Keira Metz (not that important)
- Sasha/Cantarella (not that important)
- Jutta an Dimun (not that important)
- Shani (not that important)
- Sylvia/Syanna (not that important)
- The Brothels (not important)
9. All Monster Hunts
Monster Hunts or Witcher Contracts are side quests that Geralt can do throughout the world. Major contracts will be given to Geralt by NPCs while minor contracts will be up on notice boards outside of inns. Here are all the Monster Hunts:
I. Blood and Wine Monster Hunts
- Duck, Duck, Goosed!
II. White Orchard Monster Hunts
- The Beast of White Orchard – Main Quest
- Contract: Devil by the Well
III. Velen Monster Hunts
- Contract: Missing Brother
- Contract: Jenny o’ the Woods
- Contract: Mysterious Tracks
- Contract: Phantom of the Trade Route
- Contract: Shrieker
- Contract: Swamp Thing
- Contract: The Merry Widow
- Contract: The Mystery of the Byways Murders
IV. Novigrad Monster Hunts
- Contract: An Elusive Thief
- Contract: Deadly Delight
- Contract: Doors Slamming Shut
- Contract: Lord of the Wood
- Contract: The Apiarian Phantom
- Contract: The Creature from Oxenfurt Forest
- Contract: The Woodland Beast
V. Skellige Isles Monster Hunts
- Contract: Dragon
- Contract: Here Comes the Groom
- Contract: Muire D’yaebien
- Contract: Strange Beast
- Contract: The Phantom of Eldberg
10. About The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Developed and published by CD Projekt Red, The Witcher 3 is an action role playing game. Its plot is based on the work of renowned author Andrzej Sapowski.
The game offers a breathtaking open world gameplay from a third person point of view.
The game takes players to a fantastical medieval world brimming with mythical beasts and creatures like Elves, Werewolves, Djinn and Golem etc.
The plot of the game revolves around Geralt of Rivia who is trusted by Emperor Emphyr to find his daughter, Ciri.
Ciri is the last inheritor to a primeval elder bloodline who has the ability to manipulate space and time.
Thus, in order to look for Ciri, Geralt goes on a quest crowded with missions and complex decision making. The best feature of The Witcher 3 is that the choices a player makes determine the outcome of the game.
The storyline presents itself with such complicated characters where one has to choose the lesser of two evils. Thus, it’s a game that doesn’t totally rely on brawn but brain too.
After finding Ciri, Geralt further helps her fight the king of the Wild Hunt, Eredin who wants to use Ciri’s power to take over the entire continent.
The ending of this game totally depends on the choices users make throughout the game. Therefore, it varies and can end either on a positive or a negative note.
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