Witcher Timeline: Books, Games and The Witcher 4 in Story Order

In story order, Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels come first, then The Witcher 1 to 3 with Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, then the Songs of the Past expansion as a prologue and finally The Witcher 4, which is set after Witcher 3. The Witcher 4 has been in development since 2022 and in full production since late 2024; it is targeting 2028 (as of October 30, 2026).

Officially confirmed All dates sourced, release target 2028 By RaidDex Team · As of October 30, 2026 · Official sources last checked November 3, 2026

Last changed Oct 30, 2026: Page created with story order, 2022–2028 development timeline and team size All changes →

How to read the two timelines

This page has two timelines. The first puts the books and games in story order, meaning when they take place in the world of The Witcher. The date on the left there is the year the book or game came out, not the year in the game world – which is why the years jump around. We leave out in-world years because CD PROJEKT RED has not given any for The Witcher 4.

The second timeline shows the development of The Witcher 4 from its announcement in 2022 to the planned release in 2028, each entry with a source. Anything still to come is marked as planned. What happens between Witcher 3 and Witcher 4 is covered under story, and which Witcher 3 ending fits under Witcher 3 ending.

The Witcher story in chronological order

2024 Crossroads of Ravens Sapkowski’s latest novel (Polish 2024, English 2025) comes first in the story: it follows a young Geralt shortly after his training.
1993 The Last Wish Short stories about Geralt’s contracts, including his first meeting with Yennefer. The Polish collection first came out in 1993.
2013 Season of Storms A standalone novel set between the short stories.
1992 Sword of Destiny More short stories. This is where Geralt first meets Ciri, the young princess of Cintra.
1994 The saga: Blood of Elves to The Lady of the Lake Five novels (1994–1999) about Ciri, the Elder Blood, the war with Nilfgaard and Ciri’s training at Kaer Morhen – the backstory to the games.
2007 The Witcher CD PROJEKT RED’s first game is set after the books: Geralt has lost his memory and returns to Kaer Morhen.
2011 The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Geralt hunts the kingslayers and regains his memories; at the end Nilfgaard invades the North.
May 19, 2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Geralt searches for Ciri, who is fleeing the Wild Hunt. Depending on your choices she becomes a witcher, an empress or does not return. Witcher 3 database →
October 13, 2015 Hearts of Stone First expansion: Geralt is drawn into a pact with the immortal Gaunter O’Dimm.
May 31, 2016 Blood and Wine Second expansion, set in Toussaint; it ends with Geralt retiring to the Corvo Bianco vineyard.
2027 planned Songs of the Past Third expansion for Witcher 3, set in Letten. CD PROJEKT RED calls it a prologue to The Witcher 4 – “not in a verbatim way.” Geralt hits the trail one last time before Ciri takes over; exactly when it takes place in the story has not been announced. → Sources: CD PROJEKT: Q1 2026 earnings call transcript (May 28, 2026) · CD PROJEKT RED wraps up the first half of 2026 (Sep 2, 2026)
2028 planned The Witcher 4 Set after Witcher 3; CD PROJEKT RED has not said how long after. Ciri is now a witcher. Release target: 2028. → Sources: CD PROJEKT RED: The Witcher IV revealed at The Game Awards (Dec 13, 2024) · YouTube: Michał Nowakowski’s gamescom 2026 message (Aug 24, 2026)
2031 planned The Witcher 5 and 6 The trilogy is meant to be complete within six years of The Witcher 4, one game every three years on average. The year is our own calculation, not a CD PROJEKT RED figure. → Source: CD PROJEKT RED: investor chat (Sep 3, 2026)

Date = year of release (books: first Polish edition), order = story. The placement of the books and earlier games is general knowledge about the series.

The development of The Witcher 4 from 2022 to 2028

March 21, 2022 CD PROJEKT RED announces a new Witcher saga, developed on Unreal Engine 5 in partnership with Epic Games. Teaser: a medallion reading “A New Saga Begins.” → Source: CD PROJEKT: New Witcher saga announced on Unreal Engine 5 (Mar 21, 2022)
2022-05 Pre-production begins – as an analyst put it on a 2025 earnings call, without CD PROJEKT RED contradicting. Source: CD PROJEKT: Q1 2025 earnings call transcript (May 28, 2025)
October 4, 2022 Strategy update: codename Polaris, “Beginning of a new Witcher trilogy”, more than 150 developers in pre-production. → Source: CD PROJEKT: Strategy Update presentation (Oct 4, 2022)
2022-11 Sebastian Kalemba is Polaris’s game director, after 15 months as creative director. → Source: Wikipedia: The Witcher IV, citing VGC on Sebastian Kalemba (Nov 3, 2022)
March 28, 2024 More than 400 developers; production is set to begin in the second half of the year. Source: CD PROJEKT: FY 2023 results call transcript (Mar 28, 2024)
November 26, 2024 Polaris has completed pre-production and entered full-scale production. → Sources: CD PROJEKT: Q3 2024 earnings call transcript (Nov 26, 2024) · VGC: The Witcher 4 has entered full-scale production (Nov 26, 2024)
December 12, 2024 Revealed as The Witcher IV at The Game Awards with the Cinematic Reveal Trailer; Ciri is the protagonist. → Source: CD PROJEKT RED: The Witcher IV revealed at The Game Awards (Dec 13, 2024)
December 16, 2024 The trailer song “No Gods, Only Monsters” is released, and the village is officially named Stromford. Source: thewitcher.com: trailer soundtrack (Dec 16, 2024)
March 25, 2025 CD PROJEKT RED: The Witcher 4 will not release by the end of 2026. Source: CD PROJEKT: FY 2024 results call transcript (Mar 25, 2025)
June 3, 2025 Unreal Engine 5 tech demo at the State of Unreal: Ciri and Kelpie in Kovir, the port town of Valdrest, 60 fps on a PS5 – not gameplay, according to CD PROJEKT RED. → Source: CD PROJEKT: The Witcher 4 tech demo at the State of Unreal (Jun 3, 2025)
November 26, 2025 Confirmed: no release in 2026 and no new showing at The Game Awards 2025. Sources: CD PROJEKT: Q3 2025 earnings call transcript (Nov 26, 2025) · VGC: The Witcher 4 won’t appear at The Game Awards 2025 (Nov 27, 2025)
March 4, 2026 AnsweRED podcast on animation: performance capture for the first time, faster sword animations for Ciri. → Source: CD PROJEKT RED: AnsweRED Podcast episode 26 on animation (transcript, Mar 4, 2026)
March 10, 2026 GDC: NVIDIA and CD PROJEKT RED integrate an RTX Mega Geometry foliage system into The Witcher 4. → Source: NVIDIA: GDC 2026 RTX announcements (foliage in The Witcher 4)
May 28, 2026 513 developers, the “most intensive phase” of development; Songs of the Past is presented as a prologue to The Witcher 4. Source: CD PROJEKT: Q1 2026 earnings call transcript (May 28, 2026)
August 24, 2026 Michał Nowakowski announces the 2028 target: “The Witcher 4 is targeting a 2028 release window.” → Sources: YouTube: Michał Nowakowski’s gamescom 2026 message (Aug 24, 2026) · PC Gamer: The Witcher 4 is targeting a 2028 release (Aug 24, 2026)
August 27, 2026 The current build can be launched on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X. → Source: Game Developer: The Witcher 4 running on all target platforms (Aug 27, 2026)
September 2, 2026 Half-year report: 519 developers, the biggest team at CD PROJEKT RED; one large Witcher release per year up to 2028. Sources: CD PROJEKT RED: H1 2026 earnings call transcript (Sep 2, 2026) · CD PROJEKT RED wraps up the first half of 2026 (Sep 2, 2026)
September 3, 2026 The trilogy is to be released within six years of The Witcher 4, one game every three years on average. → Source: CD PROJEKT RED: investor chat (Sep 3, 2026)
September 29, 2026 The Witcher 3 Remastered launches – free for owners and the basis for Songs of the Past. Source: CD PROJEKT: The Witcher 3 Remastered announced, Songs of the Past first look (Aug 25, 2026)
November 24, 2026 planned CD PROJEKT RED’s next quarterly report (Q3 2026). Source: CD PROJEKT RED: investor events
2027 planned Songs of the Past launches as a Witcher 3 expansion. Source: CD PROJEKT RED wraps up the first half of 2026 (Sep 2, 2026)
2028 planned Planned release window for The Witcher 4 – no date or quarter. → Sources: CD PROJEKT RED wraps up the first half of 2026 (Sep 2, 2026) · YouTube: Michał Nowakowski’s gamescom 2026 message (Aug 24, 2026)

As of October 30, 2026. Future dates may move; “targeting” is a goal, not a promise.

How the team has grown

As of	Developers on The Witcher 4
October 2022	150+
February 2024	403
October 2024	400
July 2025	444
February 2026	499
April 2026	513
July 2026	519

Figures from CD PROJEKT RED’s official presentations on each date. More about the team under developers.

Sources: CD PROJEKT: Strategy Update presentation (Oct 4, 2022) · CD PROJEKT: Q3 2024 earnings call transcript (Nov 26, 2024) · CD PROJEKT RED: H1 2026 earnings call transcript (Sep 2, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

Where does The Witcher 4 fit in the timeline?

After The Witcher 3 and its expansions. CD PROJEKT RED has not given the exact gap (as of October 30, 2026).

In what order should you play the Witcher games?

In release order: The Witcher, The Witcher 2, The Witcher 3 with Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, then Songs of the Past (2027). Tips under what to play first.

Is Songs of the Past set before The Witcher 4?

CD PROJEKT RED calls the expansion a prologue to The Witcher 4, “not in a verbatim way.” Exactly when it takes place has not been announced.

How long has The Witcher 4 been in development?

The new saga was announced on March 21, 2022, with pre-production from 2022. The game has been in full production since late 2024.

When are The Witcher 5 and 6 coming?

Both are meant to follow within six years of The Witcher 4. There are no dates; by our own calculation that would be roughly 2031 and 2034.

Where does Geralt first meet Ciri?

In the books, in the short story collection “Sword of Destiny.” In the games, Ciri has been a main character since The Witcher 3.