How Long to Beat The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? Hours Explained

It takes about 37.5 hours to beat the main story of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, according to players on IGDB. With side quests and contracts, plan on about 71 hours, and about 161.5 hours to do everything. CD Projekt RED's RPG is long, but most players don't regret a single one of those hours.

Main story only: about 37.5 hours

If you stick to the main quest, Geralt's search for Ciri will take you about 37.5 hours. That's already a big chunk, with several large regions to cross, from Velen to Novigrad and out to the Skellige Isles.

But here's the catch: playing The Witcher 3 in a straight line means missing a huge part of what makes it great. Some of the game's best stories live in the side quests.

With side content: about 71 hours

This is how most people play. Side quests and witcher contracts are written with as much care as the main story, with tough choices and consequences that follow you. Add Gwent, the card game you will absolutely get hooked on, and you quickly land around 71 hours.

Keep in mind that the two expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, add long adventures of their own, with new stories and, for the second one, an entire new region.

Completionist: about 161.5 hours

Doing everything means clearing every question mark on the map, collecting every Gwent card and finishing every contract and treasure hunt. According to IGDB, that's about 161.5 hours. It's huge, and honestly only for players who never want to leave the Continent. Many of Skellige's points of interest, for example, are fairly repetitive sea caches.

How many evenings is that?

At 2 hours a night, the story alone is about 19 evenings, a bit over a month if you play a few nights a week. With side quests, count about 35 evenings. Completionist is around 81 evenings, enough to fill a good part of your year.

The smart move is the middle ground. Play the story plus the side quests that grab you, and skip the collectibles.

Tips to go faster without missing the good stuff

Don't skip the quests marked with an exclamation point in villages: they're often the best ones. You can safely ignore most question marks, especially at sea. Use signposts for fast travel, and don't feel you have to craft every witcher armor set. And play on normal difficulty if you want to keep moving: the game stays fun without punishing combat.

Torn between big RPGs? Compare with how long Skyrim takes or how long Red Dead Redemption 2 takes.

Verdict

The Witcher 3 is long, but rarely padded. For a full experience without burning out, plan for about 71 hours, not counting the expansions. And once you're done and want more, check out games like The Witcher 3.

FAQ

How long is The Witcher 3 with DLC?

IGDB's times cover the game without breaking out the expansions. Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine both add long adventures, so plan for noticeably more than the 71 hours you need for the base game's story and side quests.

Should you do the side quests in The Witcher 3?

Yes, at least some of them. Side quests and witcher contracts are among the best moments in the game, written with the same care as the main story. You can, however, ignore most of the question marks on the map without missing anything important.

Do you need to play the first two Witcher games?

No. The Witcher 3 is easy to follow without the earlier games. It introduces the important characters as the story goes. You might miss a few nods and references, but nothing that stops you from understanding or enjoying the adventure.