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Yes—several major expansions can be started before you finish their base games, and two of the clearest examples can be played without owning the base game at all. The strongest choices are DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part Two, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes, and The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone/Blood and Wine.
They are not interchangeable. “Standalone” may mean a separately sold product that does not require the original game, or merely an expansion that can be launched before the original campaign is complete. The distinction affects what you must buy, where the expansion appears, and how much story context you will miss.
What “standalone expansion” means here
Publishers use “standalone” in two different ways. A base-game-free expansion is sold as its own product and can be played without owning the original game. A campaign-independent expansion still requires the base game, but its menu entry is available before you finish the main story.
The four recommendations below cover both meanings. Before purchasing, check the product description for your platform and region: a retail cartridge or disc, a separate digital license, an Expansion Pass entitlement, and a bundled Complete Edition are different products even when they contain similar story content.
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Quick comparison
| Expansion | Base game ownership | When you can start | Story relationship | Current format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part Two | Not required for the expansion | As a separate expansion purchase | Continuation and finale of the Slayer saga; prior chapters are strongly recommended | Separate single-player expansion purchase |
| Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country | Not required for the standalone retail version; required for Expansion Pass access | Immediately in the standalone product | Prequel set 500 years before Xenoblade Chronicles 2 | Standalone retail release or Expansion Pass content |
| Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes | Main game required, or an active Ubisoft+ Premium subscription | Directly from the main menu; the main story does not need to be complete | Single-player story following So’lek; includes a recap video | Expansion attached to the main game or subscription access |
| The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine | The Witcher 3 ownership is required | Separately selectable from the main menu | Additional stories that assume familiarity with the setting and characters | Current storefront packaging centers on the Complete Edition; standalone listings have been delisted |
DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part Two
The Ancient Gods – Part Two is the clearest choice if you want an expansion-sized campaign that is sold separately and does not require the base game. Xbox Wire states that you do not need DOOM Eternal to play it. The same description recommends playing the award-winning DOOM Eternal campaign and The Ancient Gods – Part One first, because Part Two is the conclusion of a larger Slayer story.
Can I play it without beating the main game?
Yes. You do not have to finish, or even own, the DOOM Eternal base campaign to access Part Two as its own single-player expansion. This makes it a genuine answer to both versions of the “standalone” question.
Do I need to own the base game?
No for Part Two itself. It can be bought independently. That purchasing independence does not make it a story-neutral starting point: it is the finale of the Ancient Gods arc, so entering here means accepting major narrative context is missing.
What story context will I miss?
The official recommendation to play the base campaign and Part One is the important caveat. Part Two is designed as a continuation, not as a prequel or unrelated side story. If your priority is understanding the saga, play in release order: DOOM Eternal, The Ancient Gods – Part One, then Part Two. If your priority is simply accessing a self-contained action campaign without buying the original game, Part Two is the strongest fit in this list.
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Release and buying details
Xbox Wire lists March 18, 2021, as the launch date for The Ancient Gods – Part Two. The expansion is described as a separate single-player purchase. Store packaging can differ by platform, so confirm that the listing is for Part Two rather than a bundle that also includes the base game or Part One.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country
Torna – The Golden Country is the best option for a physical product and the cleanest prequel for readers who want to avoid the original campaign entirely. Nintendo describes it as a new story mode set 500 years before Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Can I play Torna without completing Xenoblade Chronicles 2?
Yes. The story is set five centuries earlier, so it does not require progress through the main game’s campaign. Its prequel structure gives it a clearer narrative starting point than a continuation such as The Ancient Gods – Part Two.
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Do I need to own the base game?
It depends on which edition you buy:
- Standalone retail version: does not include or require the main game. This is the product to choose if you want to play Torna by itself.
- Expansion Pass version: requires ownership of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, because Torna is delivered as Expansion Pass content rather than as a separate license.
Check the exact listing before purchase. Buying an Expansion Pass when you do not own the base game will not give you the same access as the standalone retail release.
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What is the story relationship?
Torna is a prequel, not a chapter that expects you to have finished the original adventure. That makes it suitable for a first-time player who wants a complete story set in the same world. Playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 first can provide additional context, but the 500-year gap is the key reason Torna works independently.
Release and format details
Nintendo lists September 21, 2018, for the standalone retail release. The retail product is a distinct purchase from the Expansion Pass. If you specifically want a cartridge-based or boxed version, look for the standalone Torna product and verify that the package does not say it is only an Expansion Pass download code.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes
From the Ashes answers a narrower question: you can start it before finishing the main game, but it is not a base-game-free expansion. Ubisoft’s FAQ says that owners need the main game, or an active Ubisoft+ Premium subscription, and can launch the expansion directly from the main menu without playing the main story.
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Can I play it without beating the main game?
Yes. Completing the main campaign is not a prerequisite. All owners of From the Ashes can select it directly from the main menu, so you do not need to reach a particular chapter first.
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Do I need to own the base game?
Yes, unless you have an active Ubisoft+ Premium subscription that provides access. Buying the expansion alone does not turn it into a separate, base-game-free product. Confirm whether your platform sells an expansion-only entitlement, a bundle, or subscription access before checkout.
What story and access features does it have?
The expansion is a single-player story that follows So’lek. It includes a recap video, which is useful if you start before the main campaign or need a reminder of the setting. The menu launch is the significant practical difference: there is no requirement to load a completed save or replay earlier chapters to reach the expansion.
Release date and edition checks
Ubisoft’s announcement shows December 19, 2025, as the release date for From the Ashes. Because subscription and bundle entitlements can vary by platform and region, verify that your account has either the main game license or the stated subscription access before assuming the expansion will appear in the menu.
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Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are playable before you finish the main Witcher 3 story, but they should not be treated as currently independent products. CD PROJEKT RED’s current FAQ says the standalone expansions have been delisted and that the Complete Edition now carries this content. The same FAQ confirms that both expansions can still be started separately through the main menu.
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Can I start them without completing the main game?
Yes. From the main menu, you can select Hearts of Stone or Blood and Wine separately rather than continuing a main-story save. This is early access to the expansion campaign, not ownership independence: the required Witcher 3 content is supplied through the current edition or entitlement.
Do I need to own the base game?
Yes. On current storefronts, look for the Complete Edition or another active product that includes the base game and expansions. A previously listed standalone expansion may no longer be available for purchase, so do not rely on an old listing or an unused code without checking its platform and account requirements.
How independent are the stories?
Both are additional stories in the Witcher 3 world rather than prequels designed to replace the original game. Starting them early is possible, but familiarity with the characters, political situation, and game systems will make the narrative easier to follow. If you want the intended progression, play the main campaign first; if you mainly want to access one of the expansions now, use its separate main-menu entry.
What should I buy?
For a current purchase, the Complete Edition is the relevant package identified by the publisher’s FAQ. Treat any claim that Hearts of Stone or Blood and Wine is available as a newly installable standalone product with caution unless the platform’s current store page explicitly confirms it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which expansion should you choose?
Choose DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part Two if…
- You want a separately purchasable, single-player expansion.
- You do not own the base game and want to play immediately.
- You are comfortable entering the finale of a larger story without its earlier chapters.
Choose Torna – The Golden Country if…
- You want the strongest prequel structure.
- You prefer a standalone retail product rather than Expansion Pass access.
- You want a physical version and do not want to buy Xenoblade Chronicles 2 first.
Choose From the Ashes if…
- You already own Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora or have the stated Ubisoft+ Premium access.
- You want to launch an expansion from the menu before finishing the main campaign.
- A recap video and a separate story following So’lek suit your preferred entry point.
Choose The Witcher 3 expansions if…
- You already have the required Witcher 3 entitlement.
- You want to start an additional story from the main menu rather than finish the base campaign first.
- You are prepared to buy the current Complete Edition instead of searching for a delisted standalone listing.
How to avoid buying the wrong edition
- Decide which “standalone” meaning you need. If you do not own the base game, limit your shortlist to the standalone retail Torna release or the independently purchasable Ancient Gods – Part Two.
- Read the ownership line. Look for “base game required,” “Expansion Pass,” “Complete Edition,” or subscription wording. An expansion icon or a separate product page does not automatically mean the base game is optional.
- Check the launch method. A menu entry available immediately, as with From the Ashes and the Witcher expansions, is different from a separate installable product.
- Match the platform and region. Retail availability, digital delisting, subscription entitlements, and bundle contents can change by storefront and country.
- Check the story position. A prequel such as Torna is a safer first entry than a finale such as Ancient Gods – Part Two if you want context without playing the base campaign.
Recommended play orders
There is no single best order because the four products serve different purposes:
- For the complete DOOM story: DOOM Eternal → The Ancient Gods – Part One → The Ancient Gods – Part Two.
- For a prequel-first Xenoblade route: start with the standalone Torna – The Golden Country, then decide whether to continue into Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
- For Avatar early access: launch From the Ashes from the main menu whenever you have the required base-game or subscription entitlement; completion of the main story is not required.
- For The Witcher 3: use the main-menu entries when you are ready, but expect the current purchase path to be the Complete Edition rather than a newly sold standalone expansion.
The practical rule is simple: verify ownership first, then choose based on narrative independence. Torna is the safest choice for a self-contained prequel; Ancient Gods – Part Two is the strongest base-game-free action option but carries the greatest spoiler and context warning; From the Ashes and the Witcher expansions let you start early only when you already have the underlying game access.
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.
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