The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD Projekt RED's third Witcher combines the series' non-linear storytelling with a sprawling open world that concludes the saga of Geralt of Rivia.

Xbox One

Overview

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, officially announced in February 3, 2013, is an action-role playing video game developed by Polish studio, CD Projekt RED. It is the third title in The Witcher video game series, based on The Witcher saga, a collection of short stories by Polish author, Andrzej Sapkowski. For the first time in the history of the series, the game will be set in an open-world environment. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt puts the players in the role of a professional monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia, the series’ main protagonist. According to CD Projekt RED, this installment will conclude Geralt's story. The game was released on May 19, 2015, on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Gameplay

The game plays much like the previous installment, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, with minor refinements made. The game will track both player choice and actions which ultimately affect how the game will end. The developers say that these choices can either be very tiny or absolutely major. There are 36 different endings to the game, with more than 300 minor variations in the story. Depending on the platform, previous character imports will be possible. On the PlayStation 4, the developer has made note that there will be a way to define old actions and decisions before starting a new game. During the start of the game a player can choose to "simulate a Witcher 2 save", this will result in player being asked what choice they made during the Witcher 2's campaign.

Glossary

Players have access to an in-game glossary. This allows players to read up on characters, bestiary, crafting and game mechanics. The bestiary tab gives detailed information about the beast in question, but also gives insight into their vulnerabilities. The tutorial tab allows for a deeper explanation of the game's mechanics. The character tab will give a condensed biography of the game's characters. The crafting tab gives players access to the required ingredients for an item, though only blacksmiths can forge weapons and only armorers can craft armor.

Story

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Geralt of Rivia, the game’s main protagonist, embarks on a quest given to him by the Emperor of Nilfgaard, Emhyr var Emreis. He is in search of the emperor's daughter and Geralt's old friend Ciri, who is currently being pursued by The Wild Hunt. The game’s subtitle, ‘Wild Hunt’, refers to a mysterious group of spectral riders that is often seen as an omen of misfortune and death. The game takes place in the war-torn Northern Kingdoms, currently invaded by the Empire of Nilfgaard.

Releases

Standard Edition

DVD discs with the game
An exclusive CD with the official soundtrack
The official, developer-created "Witcher Universe - The Compendium"
A beautiful, detailed map of the in-game world
A set of unique Witcher 3 stickers
A stylish, protective sleeve

Every standard physical copy (Consoles/PC) comes packed with this.

Collector's Edition

The standard edition of the game, containing: the official soundtrack, a beautiful and detailed map of the in-game world, unique stickers, and the developer-created "Witcher Universe - The Compendium"
A giant, 33x24x25 cm, 100% hand painted, Polystone figure of Geralt of Rivia battling a Griffin.
An exclusive, collector grade Witcher medallion.
A one of a kind SteelBook.
A two-hundred page artbook, containing breathtaking art from the game.
Huge outer and inner Collector’s Boxes you can store your Witcher merchandise in.

Downloadable Content

Free DLC Program which will give 16 free DLCs. It includes:
- Temerian Armor Set
- Beard and Hairstyle Set for Geralt
- New Quest - "Contract: Missing Miners"
- Alternative Look for Yennefer
- Nilfgaardian Armor Set
- Elite Crossbow set
- New Quest: "Fool's Gold"
- Ballad Heroes' Neutral Gwent Card Set
- Triss alternative costume
- New Quest - "Scavenger Hunt: Wolf School Gear"
- Skellige Armor Set
- New Quest: "Skellige's Most Wanted"
- Alternative Look for Ciri
- New Quest - "Where the Cat and Wolf Play
- New Finisher Animations
- New Game+
Hearts of Stone DLC (released on Oct. 13, 2015)
- First expansion released for The Witcher 3
- Includes 10-15 hours of additional gameplay, new items, contracts, signs, and more.
Blood and Wine DLC (released on May 31, 2016)
- Final expansion released for The Witcher 3
- Over 30 hours of new content
- New area, Toussaint, roughly the size of base game's No Man's Land or Novigrad areas
- Geralt can own a Vineyard home
- New Skellige Gwent Deck

The Heart of Stone and the Blood and Wine expansion content can be played separately with a pre-generated Geralt, integrated into the campaign of the base game with a new save game, or played alongside an existing save.

Xbox One X Enhancements

On December 21, 2017, CD Projekt Red released an update for Xbox One X support. The update adds support for HDR, 4K resolution, and overall improvements to the games graphics. The enhancement includes an option that allows players to choose between a "Performance Mode" and a "4K Mode". The "Performance Mode" pairs an unlocked dynamic resolution (varying from 1080p to native 4K) with an unlocked framerate (varying from 60 frames per second to 40 frames per second in high-traffic, demanding areas). The "4K Mode" renders a native 4K resolution and locks the game to 30 frames per second.