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The best choice depends on what “after the main story” means for you. If you want another fully authored campaign, choose The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. If you want a futuristic city and a dedicated story expansion, choose Cyberpunk 2077 with Phantom Liberty. If you mainly want discovery, difficult fights, and new places to conquer, choose Elden Ring with Shadow of the Erdtree.
There are two different needs behind this search: starting a new open-world RPG after finishing one, or finding substantial narrative content in a game you already own. The guide below separates those paths and explains what each game actually adds, without assuming that every expansion is designed for the same point in the campaign.
First decide whether you want a new world or more content in a familiar one
Finishing a long RPG can leave you wanting either a clean start or an extension of the experience you just completed. Those are different purchases, and confusing them can lead to buying a full game when you really want an expansion—or buying downloadable content that does not provide the kind of story you expected.
- Start a new game if you want a different setting, cast, progression system, and campaign structure.
- Buy an expansion if you still want the same protagonist, world, and combat system, but need new quests, locations, or characters.
- Choose an edition carefully if you are buying a bundle. The included content and entitlements can vary by platform and storefront, so read the specific listing before paying.
Think about the feeling you want next. A narrative-heavy fantasy game is a natural follow-up when you miss character arcs and authored quests. A futuristic city provides a sharper change of scenery. A vast fantasy landscape built around secrets and difficult encounters works better when you want to make your own route and set your own pace.
#1 Best Overall
- 192-page full color hardcover packed with tools and guidance to help gamemasters run immersive campaigns.
- Includes expert advice for new and experienced GMs tailored to the Warhammer The Old World roleplaying system.
- Features campaign-building tools like Grim Portents, Contacts, and Dark Threads to create dynamic narratives.
- Expanded setting details for Talagaad with guidance for adapting adventures to other regions and stories.
- Contains bestiary, magic items, downtime events, and corruption paths to enrich gameplay and surprise players.
The three recommendations below cover distinct experiences rather than claiming one universal winner. They also answer two common follow-up questions: “What should I play after The Witcher 3?” and “What should I play after I have exhausted my current game?” The answer is different depending on whether you want a new campaign or more content for a game already installed.
At-a-glance comparison
| Game | Setting and tone | Additional content highlighted by the sources | Combat and exploration emphasis | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Authored dark-fantasy world across the Northern Kingdoms | Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine; the Complete Edition includes both | Narrative-driven action role-playing | Players who want another substantial, character-led fantasy story |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Night City, a dense futuristic metropolis | Phantom Liberty, including the Dogtown area and secret agent Solomon Reed | Urban science-fiction action with story-focused missions | Players who prefer a modern city and science-fiction atmosphere |
| Elden Ring | Open fantasy landscape built around secrets and mysteries | Shadow of the Erdtree, with new territories, characters, and foes | Demanding action-RPG combat; travel on foot or horseback | Players who value exploration and combat challenge above guided storytelling |
This table is a preference guide, not a scorecard. The available descriptions do not provide comparable completion times, technical-performance ratings, or value scores, so the fairest comparison is the kind of experience each game emphasizes.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — the strongest choice for authored fantasy storytelling
Choose The Witcher 3 when the thing you miss most is a carefully written fantasy campaign with a recurring cast and a clear protagonist. CD PROJEKT RED describes it as an open-world role-playing game in which Geralt searches for Ciri across the Northern Kingdoms. That premise gives the game a stronger authored narrative identity than an open world built primarily around unscripted discovery.
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What you get in the base adventure
The core game follows Geralt’s search for Ciri while moving through the Northern Kingdoms. Its open-world structure lets the main pursuit coexist with side stories and regional quests, so it suits players who want a large setting but still expect named characters and deliberate plot arcs. The setting is a useful bridge between a linear story game and a sandbox: you have a defined central goal, but the world around it is broad enough to support detours.
If you have just finished another story-led RPG, this is the recommendation that most directly preserves that rhythm. You begin with an established protagonist, a defined search, and a world presented through authored encounters rather than relying only on exploration to create meaning.
Why the Complete Edition is especially relevant after finishing another RPG
The Complete Edition includes the two major expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. PlayStation also describes that edition as containing both add-ons. CD PROJEKT RED’s product page says the expansions are available to owners of the base game at no extra cost under the offering described on that page, and says each can be started separately from the main menu.
That separate-start option matters if you have completed the campaign, lost a save, or simply want to sample the expansion content without replaying the entire main story. It also makes the game a practical choice for a reader who wants substantial content immediately rather than committing to another full campaign first. You can approach the expansions as additional authored adventures while retaining the same world and protagonist.
Do not turn that convenience into an assumption about every purchase. A Complete Edition listing, a base-game listing, and an expansion listing may have different entitlements. Confirm whether the edition you are viewing includes both named expansions and whether the content is available on your platform.
Who should pick it
- Choose it for character-led quests, a dark-fantasy setting, and substantial written story content.
- Choose the Complete Edition if you want the base game and both major expansions in one package.
- Choose it over the other two recommendations when narrative continuity matters more than maximum combat difficulty or a futuristic setting.
- Choose it after a game such as Cyberpunk 2077 if you want a deliberate change from a dense modern city to the Northern Kingdoms.
What it does not promise
The available product descriptions establish the two existing expansions and their contents, but they do not establish a universal expansion order for every player or storefront. Treat the separate-start option as the supported way to access either expansion from the menu, not as a claim that every expansion should be played at one precise point in the campaign.
Rank #2
- Explore the grim and thrilling World of Legend with this 192-page full-color hardback RPG book for Warhammer: the Old World, ideal for players and collectors alike.
- Create iconic characters using six Origins and 30 Careers, from cunning Rat Catchers to noble Knight-Exiles, with full rules for advancement, Skills, Talents, and Lores.
- Fast-paced, easy-to-learn d10 dice pool system delivers high-lethality gameplay true to the Old World, offering combat, adventure, and peril for every session.
- Customize your hero with trappings, Assets, Endeavours, magical spells, and improvised spellcasting, plus divine Favours, prayers, and miracles from ten gods.
- Perfect for players seeking epic adventures, survival, and glory; this book contains everything needed to explore the Old World, complementing the Gamemaster’s Guide.
It is also safer to describe the Complete Edition by its confirmed contents rather than by assuming a particular price, discount, or delivery format. Prices and offers change, and the official product wording does not make every regional storefront identical.
Cyberpunk 2077 — a futuristic city with a dedicated story expansion
Choose Cyberpunk 2077 when you want a sharp change of atmosphere after a medieval or mythic RPG. PlayStation describes Night City as a labyrinthine futuristic metropolis. Its scale is urban rather than wilderness-focused: the appeal is moving through a dense science-fiction city, meeting its factions, and following stories shaped by that setting.
That distinction matters after an open-world fantasy game. Instead of another landscape of forests, ruins, and horseback routes, you get a city whose identity comes from streets, districts, and a futuristic social order. It is the clearest option here for someone who wants the setting itself to feel radically different.
What Phantom Liberty adds
PlayStation identifies Phantom Liberty as the story expansion for Cyberpunk 2077. It introduces Dogtown and the character Solomon Reed, described as a secret agent. Those details make the expansion a strong fit for readers who want more espionage-flavored science fiction inside the same larger game world.
Dogtown gives the expansion a named area to look for when comparing editions or deciding whether an add-on matches your interests. Solomon Reed gives the story a specifically identified character rather than an expansion described only as “more missions.” The supported description establishes the setting and character, but it does not justify promises about total playtime, a guaranteed ending sequence, or a mandatory order.
Who should pick it
- Choose it if you want a futuristic city instead of a medieval fantasy landscape.
- Choose Phantom Liberty if your priority is an additional story area with new characters, especially the Dogtown setting and Solomon Reed storyline.
- Choose it when a dense metropolitan environment sounds more appealing than horseback exploration across open wilderness.
- Choose it after Elden Ring if you want more guided, city-based storytelling instead of discovering routes through a largely mysterious landscape.
Important order and access qualification
The source used for this recommendation confirms the expansion’s setting and characters, but it does not establish a universal post-ending sequence or a single required play order. Do not assume that finishing the main campaign is a prerequisite, and do not assume that every player should begin the expansion at the same moment. Check the current platform listing and in-game guidance for your edition.
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Elden Ring — the pick for discovery and demanding combat
Choose Elden Ring when the best part of an open-world RPG is not a tightly directed plot but the act of finding hidden places and learning difficult fights. PlayStation describes an open world that can be traversed on foot or horseback, with secrets and mysteries to discover.
That makes it the strongest recommendation for a player who wants the world to set questions rather than answer them immediately. Exploration is not merely travel between marked story beats; the supported description emphasizes secrets and mysteries, so curiosity and route-finding are central reasons to choose it.
Rank #3
- ENTER THE WORLD OF SKYRIM: Experience the legendary open-world RPG as a tabletop adventure, exploring Tamriel through branching quests, iconic factions, and rich Elder Scrolls lore.
- COOPERATIVE OR SOLO PLAY: Designed for 1–4 players, allowing you to adventure solo or team up to face dragons, uncover conspiracies, and shape the fate of Skyrim together.
- OPEN-ENDED QUEST SYSTEM: Choose how you approach each mission—diplomacy, stealth, or combat—as your decisions permanently impact the story and the world around you.
- DEEP CHARACTER PROGRESSION: Build unique heroes with evolving skills, gear, and abilities inspired by the video game’s iconic progression systems.
- HIGH REPLAYABILITY: Modular scenarios, multiple quest paths, and varied character builds ensure every campaign feels fresh and every journey through Skyrim is different.
What Shadow of the Erdtree adds
PlayStation describes Shadow of the Erdtree as an expansion featuring new territories, characters, and foes. That is the clearest exploration-and-combat proposition among these three games: more territory to investigate and more opponents to study, rather than a promise of a conventional sequel-like campaign structure.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhen evaluating the expansion, focus on those confirmed additions. New territories speak to the reason to explore; new characters provide additional narrative presence; and new foes address the desire for demanding encounters. The description does not supply a universal completion requirement, a fixed sequence, or a promise that it functions as a conventional post-ending chapter.
Who should pick it
- Choose it if discovering routes, hidden areas, and environmental clues is more important than receiving constant narrative direction.
- Choose it if you enjoy demanding action-RPG combat and learning encounters through repeated attempts.
- Choose it if traveling on foot or horseback through a broad fantasy landscape sounds better than following an urban mission network.
- Choose it after The Witcher 3 if you want fantasy exploration with less emphasis on a continuously directed protagonist-led plot.
Do not assume the expansion is strictly post-ending content
The available description confirms the expansion’s new territories, characters, and foes, but it does not say that players must finish the main game before accessing it. Avoid buying it on the assumption that it is automatically an epilogue. Verify the requirements and access conditions for your platform and edition before you plan a playthrough around it.
In other words, “after the main story” can describe your personal timing rather than the expansion’s official placement. You may be looking for something to play after completing the campaign, while the add-on itself may not be presented as content that requires the ending first.
Choose by the experience you want next
If you want the most story per purchase
Start with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition. It is the only recommendation here whose official product description explicitly packages two major story expansions with the base game: Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. The separate-start option also makes it practical for someone returning after a completed campaign.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThat recommendation is about confirmed package contents, not a claim that it is always the cheapest option. Compare the live listing with the price of the base game and individual add-ons, and check whether you already own one of the components.
If you want the biggest change of setting
Pick Cyberpunk 2077. Night City supplies a futuristic urban identity that neither of the fantasy recommendations can provide, while Phantom Liberty adds Dogtown and Solomon Reed for a focused science-fiction storyline.
If you want exploration to set the pace
Pick Elden Ring. Its supported selling points are travel on foot or horseback, secrets, mysteries, and a challenging action-RPG combat loop. Shadow of the Erdtree extends that formula with additional territories, characters, and foes.
If you already own one of the base games
Check the expansion listing before buying a bundle or a second copy. The practical question is not only which game sounds best; it is whether your existing platform account owns the required base game and whether the edition you are viewing includes the expansion you want. Platform and storefront entitlements are not automatically interchangeable.
Rank #4
- The outer worlds is a new single-player first-person sci-fi rpg from obsidian entertainment and private division
- In the outer worlds, you awake from hibernation on a colonist ship that was lost in transit to halcyon, the furthest colony from earth located at the edge of the galaxy, only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy it. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all-vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable
For The Witcher 3, look for the exact names Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. For Cyberpunk 2077, look for Phantom Liberty and its Dogtown content. For Elden Ring, look for Shadow of the Erdtree and its described new territories, characters, and foes. Naming the content is safer than relying on a generic “ultimate” label.
How to avoid edition and expansion mistakes
- Identify your platform. Record whether you are buying for PlayStation, Xbox, or PC before comparing listings.
- Read the edition name. For The Witcher 3, confirm that the listing is the Complete Edition if you want both Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
- Inspect the included-content panel. Look for the exact expansion names rather than assuming a “complete” or “ultimate” label has the same contents everywhere.
- Check ownership requirements. An expansion may require the base game on the same platform account. The product descriptions here do not establish cross-platform entitlement.
- Confirm availability at checkout. Editions, prices, and entitlements can change by region and storefront; verify the live listing immediately before purchase.
- Separate current products from announcements. Do not treat a planned expansion as included in a package that is available now.
These checks prevent the most common practical disappointment: buying a familiar title again while still lacking the expansion you wanted. They also help if you own a physical copy but are shopping for digital content, or if your library contains several editions with similar names.
What is known about the next Witcher 3 expansion
On May 27, 2026, CD PROJEKT RED announced Songs of the Past, a third Witcher 3 expansion planned for 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The announcement says it returns players to Geralt and introduces a new region, quests, and characters. CD PROJEKT RED’s press-center description identifies that region as Letten, described as Dandelion’s homeland. Xbox Wire’s August 25, 2026 coverage also describes the planned 2027 release and new region.
The platform list is part of the announcement, but it is not a release confirmation. A planned year is not a fixed launch date, and an announced expansion is not the same thing as a store listing that can be purchased or downloaded.
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Songs of the Past is announced future content, not an expansion currently available to play or buy. Do not treat it as part of the current Complete Edition, and do not make a purchase decision on the assumption that its final contents, date, or store listings are already fixed.
In the same May 27 announcement, CD PROJEKT RED reported that The Witcher 3 had sold more than 60 million copies since its 2015 release. That is the publisher’s own reported figure, not an independently audited sales total. It provides context for the game’s continuing prominence, but it does not change which edition or expansion is right for an individual player.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Questions readers commonly ask
Should I buy a new game or an expansion after finishing a campaign?
Buy a new game when you want a fresh protagonist, setting, and campaign structure. Buy an expansion when you still want the same world and combat system but need additional quests, areas, or characters. The Witcher 3’s Complete Edition is the clearest package for the latter need among these recommendations.
Which recommendation is most story-focused?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the strongest fit for an authored, character-led fantasy story. Its official description centers on Geralt’s search for Ciri, and its Complete Edition includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
Which game gives me a futuristic setting?
Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in Night City, described by PlayStation as a labyrinthine futuristic metropolis. Its Phantom Liberty expansion adds Dogtown and the secret agent Solomon Reed.
Best Value
- Welcome to the new world: taking on the role of a Hunter, players are tasked with going on a research expedition to a newly discovered continent known only as “new world”.
- Living and breathing ecosystem: utilize the surrounding environment and wildlife to your advantage;Subgenre:Action role-playing game (RPG)
- Online drop-in multiplayer: when the battle is too daunting to take on single-handedly, hail up to three other hunters to assist during quests by sending up a sos flare to a worldwide server.
- Hunt to craft new Gear: defeat monsters and collect loot from fallen foes to craft equipment and weapons styled after the monsters that have been slain.
- SEAMLESS gameplay: players and monsters can move from One map area to another freely and without loading screens whilst gameplay also dynamically transitions between night and day.
Which game emphasizes exploration and difficult combat?
Elden Ring is the best match. Its world can be explored on foot or horseback, with secrets and mysteries to discover, while Shadow of the Erdtree adds territories, characters, and foes.
Do I have to finish the main game before playing every expansion?
No universal rule is established for all three recommendations. The Witcher 3’s official page says either major expansion can be started separately from the main menu. The descriptions used for Phantom Liberty and Shadow of the Erdtree do not establish one universal post-ending order or a requirement that the main campaign must be finished first. Check your platform’s current guidance.
Is Songs of the Past available now?
No. CD PROJEKT RED announced it for 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It should be treated as future content, not as part of the currently available The Witcher 3 Complete Edition.
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- Need a fresh, authored fantasy campaign? Choose The Witcher 3.
- Want a new urban science-fiction setting? Choose Cyberpunk 2077.
- Prefer secrets, open-ended routes, and difficult fights? Choose Elden Ring.
- Already own The Witcher 3? Check whether your edition includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine; the official page says either expansion can be started separately from the main menu.
- Already own Cyberpunk 2077? Look specifically for Phantom Liberty and its Dogtown content.
- Already own Elden Ring? Look specifically for Shadow of the Erdtree, described as adding territories, characters, and foes.
- Buying for later? Treat Songs of the Past as a 2027 announcement, not as currently playable content.
- Comparing prices? Check the live listing, platform, region, and included-content panel rather than relying on an edition label alone.
Bottom line
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the best-supported choice for players seeking another deeply authored fantasy story, especially in the Complete Edition with Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Cyberpunk 2077 is the alternative for a futuristic city and the Dogtown-focused Phantom Liberty expansion. Elden Ring is the right answer when exploration and demanding combat matter more than directed storytelling. Choose the experience you want, then verify the exact edition and expansion entitlement for your platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I play after finishing an open-world RPG?
Choose by the experience you want next: The Witcher 3 for authored fantasy storytelling, Cyberpunk 2077 for a futuristic city, or Elden Ring for secrets, exploration, and demanding combat.
Which game is best if I want more story in a game I already own?
For the clearest package of additional authored story, check The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition, which includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Confirm the current listing and your platform entitlement.
Does Cyberpunk 2077 have a story expansion?
Yes. PlayStation identifies Phantom Liberty as a story expansion that introduces Dogtown and secret agent Solomon Reed.
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PlayStation describes it as adding new territories, characters, and foes to Elden Ring. The supported description does not establish that it must be played only after the ending.
When is Songs of the Past coming out?
CD PROJEKT RED announced the third Witcher 3 expansion for 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It is not currently available.
The Bottom Line
Choose The Witcher 3 for authored fantasy story, Cyberpunk 2077 for Night City and Phantom Liberty, or Elden Ring for exploration and challenging combat. Verify the exact edition and expansion entitlement before buying.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
