© Natalia BEThe Witcher universe extends far beyond Andrzej Sapkowski’s original stories. What began as a competition entry in Fantastyka magazine has grown into a franchise spanning books, games, TV series, comics and more. For newcomers, figuring out where to start — and what to explore next — can be daunting. The best way in is where it all began: the books. From there, this guide suggests what to read, play and watch next.
The flowchart shows which works to finish before moving on to others, without prescribing a linear order. The notes explain the recommendations, and the final section gives my subjective take on each part of the franchise.
The Flowchart
The flowchart covers official works — both canon and non-canon — set in the Witcher universe. It excludes fan projects (such as Alzur’s Legacy) and non-fiction works (such as The Rise of the Witcher and Noclip’s documentary). For more on canon vs non-canon, see my chronology guide.
Controls: Ctrl+scroll or pinch to zoom, drag to pan, double-click or double-tap to fit/reset view. Flowchart requires JavaScript support.
Books
Start with the books, and read them in the order recommended in my reading-order guide.
Comics
There are enough comic series and one-offs to warrant a separate article. Indeed, The Comic Book Treasury has already published a comics reading-order guide, so I’ll leave the details to them and simply add that Frog Kiss is available for free online.
The Little Witcher
A non-canon children’s comic that references characters and events from the books up to Blood of Elves. The spoilers are minor, so it can also serve as an introduction for little humans before they read the books or play the games.
The Witcher games
The games begin where the books leave off. Play the main series in release order. The two spin-off games, Thronebreaker and Gwent, build on the Gwent minigame from the Witcher 3, so I recommend playing them after you’ve tried that minigame.
Game bonus content
The games come with comics that tell original stories. Kiddo and Reasons of State can be read at any point after the books; Matters of Conscience should be read after the Witcher 2; and Killing Monsters immediately before the Witcher 3. Bonus content and promotional materials are omitted from the flowchart, but the recommendations account for them.
The World of the Witcher
A compendium of the games’ canon rather than a narrative. Read it alongside the games.
The original Polish TV adaptation does its own thing, but borrows from the short stories, so watch it after Sword of Destiny.
The Netflix adaptation
It comprises the main series, the prequel miniseries and three films. The two animated films, Nightmare of the Wolf and Sirens of the Deep, can be watched any time after the books. Although Blood Origin comes first chronologically, I recommend starting with the main series, which has been better received. The Rats is a film about characters introduced at the end of season 3 of the main series; watch it before or alongside season 4.
Non-canon works
Something Ends, Something Begins is a collection of short stories. Two of the stories relate to the books (see my reading-order guide); neither has an official English translation, though unofficial versions are available online.
Ronin is a comic set in an alternate universe inspired by Edo-period Japan.
Opowieści ze świata wiedźmina is an untranslated collection of short stories, none written by Sapkowski.
For Witcher’s 40th anniversary, Nowa Fantastyka (formerly Fantastyka) is publishing new stories set in the universe. Sapkowski didn’t write them, but I consider them official; I explain why in my chronology guide.
My subjective take
Which parts of the franchise you explore is a matter of taste. My take on each one may help you decide what’s worth your time.
Books
They are critically acclaimed and a must-read. The books fall into three groups that differ in style: the short stories, the saga, and the prequels and sequels. Readers disagree whether the short stories or the saga are better, but disliking one doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the other.
The non-canonical works — Something Ends, Something Begins, Opowieści ze świata Wiedźmina and short stories in Nowa Fantastyka — work well as stand-alone reads and are easy to recommend to fantasy fans.
Comics
The comics are fine, though I’m not a fan of the format. If you enjoy comics, you’ll probably like these; otherwise, they may not be worth your time. They either adapt stories from the books or tell original stories that don’t affect the games’ plots.
Games
Like the books, the Witcher games are critically acclaimed and a must-play for anyone who enjoys RPGs. It’s best to play the games in order, but their plots aren’t tightly intertwined, so you can safely skip ahead if necessary. Not every game is available on every platform, their gameplay differs considerably, and the earlier entries may feel dated. Starting with the Witcher 3 is perfectly fine (and has been the introduction to the franchise for many fans).
As for the two spin-offs, don’t feel bound by the order recommended above: playing them before you’ve tried the Gwent minigame won’t spoil much, but keep in mind that Thronebreaker should still come after the books (its story runs concurrently with the saga; see my chronology guide). Gwent is a competitive multiplayer card game, while Thronebreaker is a single-player RPG-like card game.
Polish TV adaptation
The Hexer is the original Polish TV series. Some episodes adapt the books reasonably well, but the show’s original material is often a downgrade. The series may also feel dated. I recommend it only to committed fans of the franchise.
The Netflix adaptation
Depending on which corner of the Witcher fandom you’re in, mentioning the Netflix adaptation may get stones hurled in your general direction. The criticism is understandable: season 1 is a passable average adaptation, season 2 is terrible, and the later seasons are average at best. Still, it has its fans. It’s best to treat the adaptation as separate from the books’ story, despite the shared character names.
In contrast, I enjoyed both animated films, and Sirens of the Deep is a decent adaptation to boot. Both stand on their own, so you can watch them without the main series.