Without exaggeration, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a game that completely transformed my gaming life. On May 19th, it turned 10 years old, and in its honor, I decided to share how I first encountered Geralt of Rivia. Well, almost first, because the initial attempt wasn`t entirely successful.
My Witcher story began in 2016. I had an old PC I called “the furnace” – it could barely run the game at 20 FPS on a good day. On top of that, I was perched on a creaky stool that felt older than me. Unsurprisingly, under these conditions, I quickly abandoned the game. I read enthusiastic reviews in Igromania magazine, describing the epic plot and living world, but that didn`t help me overcome my local discomforts. In the end, I put The Witcher aside without regret, deciding it just wasn`t for me.
Everything changed in 2018 when I got a PlayStation 4. I decided to give the game another chance, and that`s when it truly kicked off. My friends and I bought The Witcher almost simultaneously and disappeared into that world for a whole month. Our conversations revolved around one thing: “Did you finish the Bloody Baron quest? What about Keira Metz?” We shared our progress, sent each other screenshots of monsters we met, and argued passionately. The main debate, of course, was about Triss and Yennefer. Although, honestly, guys always pick Shani. I was literally obsessed with the game. No franchise before had ever captivated me so strongly. Even years later, no single-player game has surpassed The Witcher in the sheer number of hours I`ve sunk into it.
I completed the game 100%. I cleared every location, gathered every chest in Skellige, found all the Gwent cards, visited all the taverns, drowned every drowned dead, and dealt with every contract. I knew every corner of Velen, every path in Novigrad, every island in Skellige. And you know what? I repeated that journey twice. Back-to-back. Simply because I couldn`t tear myself away. After the first playthrough, I immediately started over, making different choices to see how the story would change.
My fascination with The Witcher quickly extended beyond the screen. Friends, seeing my obsession, fueled my fanaticism. For my birthday, they gifted me a thick comic book featuring character stories. I devoured it in a couple of days, poring over the art and soaking in every detail. Then came the Gwent board game – a real one, with sturdy cards and cool design. The only thing they didn`t consider was that I was an obsessed fan and no one could compete with me, so I had to win from them again and again.
Later, I ended up in the hospital. A week in the ward could have been boring, but I had Sapkowski`s books on my phone. I read almost the entire saga, except for the last book. I still can`t bring myself to open it – it`s not interesting, especially since the ending is a mess anyway. The books added depth to the game. I started noticing how brilliantly CD Projekt RED transferred Sapkowski`s world to the screen, preserving its spirit. Every dialogue, every detail – it was all imbued with that very atmosphere.
I eagerly tried everything related to The Witcher. I dove into the spin-off Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales – a story-driven Gwent game where I fought as Queen Meve and her partisans. I played the card game itself, first the old version on PS4, and then the new one on my smartphone. I attempted to tackle the first two parts of the series, although they felt a bit outdated by then. It got to the point where I downloaded The Witcher: Battle Arena, a mobile MOBA that, frankly, wasn`t great. I even bought Soulcalibur V just for Geralt as a guest character. Yes, I was *that* fan, willing to spend money on anything that even hinted at The Witcher. And don`t even get me started on seeing merchandise at IgroMir convention…
The culmination, however, was my decision to make a sword. A real one. During the summer, I worked part-time as a plumber in the local housing services, and there was a welder there who could work wonders with scrap metal. I convinced him to help me make a sword. He agreed – either out of interest or because I finally wore him down. He gave me a list of materials and sent me to the building market. I remember choosing a steel plate for the blade. The seller looked at me like I was crazy, but I didn`t care – you can`t deter a fan. I bought a sheet of steel, some iron pieces for the guard and handle, and found the coolest nut for the pommel. And then the magic began.
The welder marked the blade, we chose the guard shape, and I watched the process, mesmerized. He hammered the iron like a fantasy dwarf, welded the parts, and in the end, I had a meter-long sword. Blunt, though. The welder refused to sharpen it so I wouldn`t accidentally chop up the neighbors. He gave me a whetstone and said, “If you want to, sharpen it.” Spoiler: sharpening a meter-long blade by hand is impossible. So the sword remained decorative. But how it looked! I carried it around the house, imagining myself as Geralt heading into battle with a Leshen.
My friends were thrilled with “my” craft. One of them even got inspired to make a wooden sword, similar to Ciri`s “Swallow.” He wrapped the handle in leather, and it looked really cool. We wanted to duel, but his sword fell apart from a light tap from my iron one. Mine, by the way, was heavy – about three kilograms. I tried using it for fitness, but swinging a blade in a small room turned out to be a bad idea. Now the sword lies under the bed at my parents` house, like a trophy from another time.
My fanaticism went so far that I named my dog after Geralt. When my family first got a dog, I insisted on that name. The dog, incidentally, turned out to be as tough and loyal as the witcher. And a friend continued the trend: his dog is named Dandelion. Sometimes we even joked that we should get another one and name her Yennefer, but that would have been too much.
Even now, years later, few games evoke the same emotions in me as The Witcher 3. It`s not just a game, it`s a whole world. I remember being captivated by the music – the tavern melodies, the epic combat tracks, and, of course, Priscilla`s song. It`s still in my playlist. The game world felt so alive: every NPC (never mind that they all had the same face), every village, every forest. I could wander through Velen for hours, simply enjoying the landscapes. I remember arriving in Toussaint from the Blood and Wine expansion for the first time. I stopped on a hill and watched the sun set over the vineyards. It was so beautiful that I just enjoyed the scenery, forgetting about quests.
The characters also left their mark. Geralt – stern but with a good heart. Yennefer, who initially annoyed with her arrogance but ultimately made you fall in love with her. Ciri, whom you worried about like a sister. Even secondary characters like the Bloody Baron were captivating. And the quest with drunk Geralt in Kaer Morhen? My friends and I would laugh, retelling each other how he got drunk and ran around in one boot, even though we all knew that quest by heart. Every player has their moments for which they love The Witcher. For some, it`s the battle with the Wild Hunt, for others – the Griffin contract at the very beginning. For me, it`s the sunset in Toussaint at my vineyard.
The expansions were practically separate games. Hearts of Stone, with its dark fairy tale about the Master Mirror – it was both creepy and amazing at the same time. The expansions made the game even richer, and I still consider them the best DLCs ever released. Yes, it`s not their anniversary yet (need to remember them in 2026!), but let`s praise them anyway.
However, over time, my fanaticism began to fade. The Netflix series wasn`t what I expected. The animated film Nightmare of the Wolf also didn`t click with me. And then Cyberpunk 2077 came out, and my attention shifted. I stopped being a fervent fan of The Witcher, but the love for the third part remained deep in my soul. It`s like an old friend you`re always happy to revisit. Sometimes I just boot up the game to wander through Novigrad or listen to the music.
Now, as CD Projekt RED is working on The Witcher 4, I believe the series has a great future. The developers have already proven they can create masterpieces. I`m waiting for the new game, but until it`s released, I gladly take the opportunity to sometimes recall the old adventures.
I remember discussing with friends which Witcher sign was cooler – Igni or Aard, and figuring out where to find Grandmaster armor. I`m interested to hear your stories. What do you love The Witcher 3 for? Or maybe you don`t? What moments stick out to you? Perhaps it`s the quest where you helped Dandelion with his romantic affairs? Or the battle with Eredin? Or maybe, like me, you just loved wandering the world and listening to the wind rustling in the forest? Share your thoughts – today is just the day to remember this legend. Because The Witcher 3 is a special game.
Finley Holt