The Witcher 3 endings, explained

The Witcher 3 features a trio of main endings, alongside a wide assortment of variations, depending on your actions throughout the game. It’s one of the rare games where your actions feel like they do have consequences that affect the end of the game as a whole. Whether Geralt ends up happy and retired or miserable and alone at the end of this adventure is entirely up to the player.

Even though The Witcher 3 was originally released in May 2015, the game is still worth playing in 2024. A classic RPG in every sense of the word, CD PROJEKT RED gave players a few very interesting endings to look forward to.

As for your ending, it depends primarily on the actions you take during the missions Battle Preparations, Blood on the Battlefield, and Final Preparations. Depending on what you do during these, you’ll receive one of three main endings.

Then, depending on actions such as who you did (or did not) romance, and actions taken during particular side quests, those will offer other minor variations.

All main endings in The Witcher 3

1) The Witcher Ending

Here, Ciri takes up the blade to become a Witcher (Image via CD PROJEKT RED)

The Witcher 3 ending unlock requirements: Choose more positive actions than negative during the final missions; do not visit the Emperor in Blood on the Battlefield.

The first of the three endings for The Witcher has Geralt lying to Emhyar var Emreis during the quest Something Ends, Something Begins, and tells him that his daughter (Ciri) sacrificed herself for the greater good, preventing the White Cold from completely taking over the land. He also informed the Emperor that the body may never be found.

However, this isn’t entirely the case. The player will then get a choice about what to tell the Emperor next (plenty of work for a Witcher/none of your business), as well as a series of choices about what Ciri’s final words were (Regretted not being able to say goodbye/You weren’t a good father/Didn’t talk about you).

Geralt, after leaving the Emperor, returned to the Ruined Fortress, where he received a silver sword that was custom-made by a blacksmith he hired. He then heads to the White Orchard Inn to meet Ciri, who was in disguise as a part of this ending in The Witcher 3.

The two discuss a mission to slay a Cockatrice, but instead of saying a word about that, Geralt grants Ciri the new silver sword as a part of this ending in The Witcher 3. Ciri was incredibly eager to try out her new sword, wrapping up the main ending.

2) The Empress Ending

Ciri's duty is to her people (Image via CD PROJEKT RED)

The Witcher 3 ending unlock requirements: Choose more positive than negative actions during Battle Preparations, Blood on the Battlefield, and Final Preparation. Visit the Emperor during Blood on the Battlefield. Nilfgaard also needs to win the war.

After the events of the main story conclude, Geralt is relaxing as much as he can in an inn. Dandelion and Zoltan can be heard arguing when Geralt states he needs to be at the Huntsman’s Cottage at dawn. You can speak to Zoltan and Dandelion as well before you leave, where Dandelion claims to be a count once again and says Geralt could settle the accounts. It’s a rather comical chat, and one worth having. After speaking to the Hunter, this ending in The Witcher 3 will reveal that Ciri didn’t bother waiting and went into the fields.

The two have one final adventure together, exploring the wilds, which includes killing a forktail - so make sure you’re ready for one last battle. After more warnings about being careful, the two head back and catch some fish. It’s all very wholesome.

Once a group of soldiers appeared, Ciri revealed that she was going to become the Empress. She couldn’t change the world by being a Witcher - she had to go take her rightful place and change the world. It’s a sorrowful goodbye, but Geralt lets Ciri go make her own choices.

3) The Tragic Ending

This is the worst of the timelines (Image via CD PROJEKT RED)

The Witcher 3 ending unlock requirements: Make more negative choices than positive choices during Battle Preparations, Blood on the Battlefield, and Final Preparation. You also need to make sure to admonish Ciri.

This is what you’d call the bad ending of The Witcher 3. It is all negatives and sorrows, and unfortunately, Ciri doesn’t make it back alive. Filled with guilt and grief, the game fast-forwarded a week, where Geralt can be seen hunting down the last remaining Crone in Crookback Bog. First, he speaks to a nearby Werewolf, who states he is no longer a threat.

The Werewolf sees the blade Geralt was carrying during this The Witcher 3 ending cutscene, and asks: “Is there no other way?”. You can choose “No”, or, “There is one way”, which will lead to Geralt asking the Werewolf to lead him to the Crone. What happens next? Well, you'll see. The reason Geralt sought out the Crone was to get back Ciri’s medallion, which the Crone stole. Even if the Crone fights back, Ciri is dead, so there’s no replacing the medallion.

On the way, Geralt comes across a wolf caught in a trap, with a group of men. Defeat the hunters before moving on - they won’t be any real threat to The Witcher at this point, especially if he’s equipped with the best skills in the game.

Geralt would finally come upon the Crone for the final scenes of this ending in The Witcher 3. She would warn Geralt that the prophecies don’t lie, and he won’t survive the encounter he’s picked here. Defeat Weavess, the last Crone, and her swarm of monsters.

With the last Crone dead, Geralt heads into the cottage to find the medallion that was stolen. The Witcher sat with the medallion in hand, likely wracked with guilt over the loss of Ciri, as monsters began to swarm from out in the swamp.

The Witcher 3’s endings have a huge assortment of variations

Quite a few things could take place after the main ending (Image via CD PROJEKT RED)

In The Witcher 3, after you watch the main ending, there are several extra endings, depending on what you did throughout the game. This includes Geralt’s love life (provided you didn’t get the tragic ending), among other things. Below is a list of possible outcomes for these moments.

Romance

Retires with Triss Merigold
Retires with Yennefer of Vengerberg
Remains a Witcher: Tries to romance both women or neither one

Fate of Emhyr var Emries

Failing to aid the assassination of Radovid (A Deadly Plot) or Siding with Djikstra (Reason of State) means Nilfgaard loses the war and overthrows their leader
If you side with Vernon (Reasons of State), Emhyr conquers the north

Philip Strengar

If you kill the spirit (The Whispering Hillock) or save it by doing the quest before Ladies of the Wood, Philip rescues his wife during Return to Crookback Bog
Freeing the spirit has a curse put on the Baron’s wife. The Baron hangs himself out of grief

Leader of the North

If Geralt doesn’t assist in the assassination of the Redanian King (A Deadly Plot, Reasons of State), Radovid becomes the ruler of the north
Djikstra becomes the ruler if Geralt assists in the assassination plot, and then sides with Djikstra
Complete A Deadly Plot and Reason of State, assassinating Radovid and siding with Roche, to see Emhyr var Emries in power

Leader of Skellige Isles

Bran keeps command if Geralt doesn’t complete King’s Gambit or Clan and Craite.
Completing Clan and Craite, and siding with Hjalmar will put him in charge
If you opt to side with Cerys instead, she will take charge instead, and the region will know peace

What are the positives and negatives of The Witcher 3’s final missions?

There are a few choices you can make in The Witcher 3 to help change which of the three endings you get. Depending on how many positive and negative choices you make, that can influence the ending you receive. You want more positives than negatives unless you want the tragic ending.

Battle Preparations

Positive: Tell Ciri “Go for it”
Negative: Tell Ciri “Calm down”
Positive: Tell Ciri “Yeah, I’ll go with you.”
Negative: Tell Ciri “No time.”

Blood on The Battlefield

Positive: Tell Ciri “I know what might lift your spirits”
Negative: Tell Ciri “Relax, you don’t have to be good at everything”

Blood on the Battlefield: If you visit the Emperor:

Positive: Refuse payment
Negative: Accept payment

Final Preparations

Positive: Let Ciri speak with Phillipa and Rita alone
Negative: Go with Ciri to speak with them

The Witcher 3 has plenty of content and amazing storytelling for fans to come back to again and again. It will take plenty of adventuring if players wish to unlock all the achievements this game and its DLC has.

FAQs on The Witcher 3 endings

Q1) How many endings does The Witcher 3 have?

The Witcher 3 has three main endings depending on Ciri's fate. These are dependent on your choices throughout the story.

Q2) What's the best ending for The Witcher 3?

The "best" ending depends on your preference, but many consider Ciri becoming a Witcher and Geralt finding happiness with Yennefer or Triss to be the most fulfilling outcome.

Q3) What is the saddest ending in The Witcher 3?

In Witcher 3's saddest ending, Ciri dies saving the world, leaving Geralt utterly heartbroken and alone.