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For a first playthrough of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, finish the prologue and White Orchard, work through the overlapping Act 1 investigations in Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, continue into the main story and its final act, and then play Hearts of Stone followed by Blood and Wine. This is a recommended route for pacing and story flow, not a locked sequence. The Act 1 regions overlap, so you can take them in whatever order suits where Geralt is standing, as long as the level and story flow still make sense.
Which edition to start with
If you do not own the game yet, look for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition. CD PROJEKT RED’s official product page describes the game and both expansions. Its official support FAQ states that both expansions are currently included in the base-game offering, but it also notes that inclusion and platform or storefront details differ. Check your store listing for your platform before you buy so you know exactly what you are getting.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![NAMCO - CD Projekt Red - The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - Complete Edition, Playstation 5 [English Edition]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51dWUfwFl5L._SL160_.jpg)
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NAMCO - CD Projekt Red - The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - Complete Edition, Playstation 5 [English Edition] | $39.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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KARMA: The Dark World - Limited Edition - PS5 | $45.44 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Witcher Library Edition Volume 3 | $28.11 | Buy on Amazon |
The recommended order
1. Prologue and White Orchard
Start with the prologue and finish White Orchard before moving on. The AllThingsHow quest-list reference, updated October 2, 2026, gives the prologue sequence as Kaer Morhen, Lilac and Gooseberries, The Beast of White Orchard, The Incident at White Orchard, and Imperial Audience. The opening quests introduce the core story and the game’s systems, so clearing the local content first gives you a stable base for the regions that follow.
2. Act 1 investigations in Velen, Novigrad and Skellige
Work through the main investigations in Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, picking up nearby side quests and contracts that suit Geralt’s current level. These threads overlap, so you will often find that one region’s content connects to another’s. Treat the regions as an itinerary: choose the next investigation from where you are, rather than following a fixed list.
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3. Main story through to the final act
Once the Act 1 threads feel complete, continue with the main plot, including the Kaer Morhen material and the final-act story. Before the major story milestones, check for remaining optional quests and activities. The completion checks section below lists the categories worth tracking.
4. Hearts of Stone
Play Hearts of Stone after the base-game finale if you want the easiest progression to follow. You can also enter it earlier when you are ready for its content. Starting it on its own is possible: CD PROJEKT RED’s official support FAQ states, “Yes, it’s still possible to start Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine separately via the main menu.”
5. Blood and Wine
Keep Blood and Wine for last so that the expansion closes out Geralt’s adventure. This placement is editorial sequencing based on story flow. It is not a documented unlock condition, and the expansion can be started from the main menu as described above.
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Where the order is flexible
Because the Act 1 regions overlap, the most useful way to choose between them is to compare the options against four practical questions:
- Story flow: Does the next investigation pick up a thread you have already started, or does it open a new one that would be easier to understand after another region?
- Level pacing: Does the content match Geralt’s current level? Taking a region that is well above your level can make combat feel punishing, while clearing nearby contracts first is usually smoother.
- Optional-content risk: Are there side quests or contracts in the region you are leaving that you want to finish before you move on? The completion checks below explain how to keep track of them.
- Regional travel convenience: Would switching regions now mean a long trip for a short piece of content? Finishing the local work first usually reduces backtracking.
Levels and pacing
This guide does not give a fixed level for each phase. The AllThingsHow quest-list reference groups main quests by recommended level, which is useful for pacing, but the exact levels for every phase and expansion were not verified for this guide. Treat recommended levels as a signal rather than a hard gate, and check the in-game quest log for the current recommendation before starting a main quest.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Completion checks before the endgame
If you want to see everything the game offers, track these categories before the final story milestones:
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- Side quests
- Contracts
- Treasure hunts
- Gwent matches and cards
- Achievements or trophies
- Easily missed events
A third-party completionist checklist covers these categories. It states that it is not affiliated with or endorsed by CD PROJEKT RED, and it is a reminder list rather than a lockout guide. This article does not name individual quests as missable, because the sources available for it do not document the exact triggers that end optional content. When in doubt, finish the regions you have touched before advancing the main story.
Use the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine placement above as a route, and use the category list here as the checklist for everything else you want to finish.
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