Future Witcher video games should look to the series’ past

May 30, 2026 - 09:33

With the announcement of new Witcher games in development, the conversation naturally turns to what stories the franchise will tell next. While the Netflix series and the blockbuster video game trilogy have brought the world of Geralt of Rivia to a massive audience, the source material remains surprisingly underexplored. Andrzej Sapkowski's original book series contains thousands of pages of dense, morally complex storytelling that could provide a rich foundation for future titles.

The games have already pulled heavily from the books, adapting major plot points like the Battle of Brenna and the events surrounding Ciri's destiny. But there is a wealth of material left untouched. Short stories featuring young Geralt, his early training at Kaer Morhen, and his first encounters with key characters like Yennefer and Dandelion offer a chance to explore the Continent before the main saga. These tales are filled with the kind of gritty, folkloric monster hunting that made the games famous, but they also dig deeper into the political and social decay of the Northern Kingdoms.

A new game set in the past could also avoid the narrative baggage of the previous trilogy. It would allow players to step into a world where the rules are still being written, where Geralt is less famous and more vulnerable. The books are full of forgotten wars, lost kingdoms, and ancient curses that never made it into the games. Adapting them would not just be fan service. It would be a chance to tell stories that feel both fresh and authentic to the source material. The Witcher's future might be best served by looking back at where it all began.