IN ORDER · FILMS, SERIES, GAMES AND BOOKS
The Witcher in order
How to read, play and watch The Witcher: Sapkowski's eight books, the three CD Projekt Red games and the Netflix series, in the order that makes sense.
The Witcher began as Polish short stories by Andrzej Sapkowski, became a five-novel saga, then became one of the most acclaimed video game series ever made, and finally a Netflix show. Each format tells the story of Geralt of Rivia, but they do not take turns neatly: the games are sequels to the books, and the show adapts the books in its own order.
The most common mistake is reading the books in publication order, which starts with the second collection. The order below fixes that, then shows where the games and the show fit.
TRACK IT
Keep your place in The Witcher
Save the 9 main entries to a list now, no account needed. Create a free OmniTrackr account and they move into your library, where this page shows how far through you are and what comes next.
THE ORDERS
3 ways through The Witcher
The first order is the one we recommend for most people. Entries marked optional are side stories you can skip without missing the main story.
Books, then games, then the showOur pick
The story as it builds: two story collections, the five-novel saga, the games that continue it, and the show as a retelling.
- 1The Last WishBook · 1993
- 2Sword of DestinyBook · 1992
- 3Blood of ElvesBook · 1994
- 4Time of ContemptBook · 1995
- 5Baptism of FireBook · 1996
- 6The Tower of the SwallowBook · 1997
- 7The Lady of the LakeBook · 1999
- 8Season of StormsBook · 2013Optional
- 9The WitcherVideo game · 2007Optional
- 10The Witcher 2: Assassins of KingsVideo game · 2011Optional
- 11The Witcher 3: Wild HuntVideo game · 2015
- 12The WitcherTV show · 2019
- 13The Witcher: Nightmare of the WolfMovie · 2021Optional
Release order
Every book, game and screen version in the order it came out. Interesting for seeing how the series grew, but a poor reading order, since it opens with the second collection.
- 1Sword of DestinyBook · 1992
- 2The Last WishBook · 1993
- 3Blood of ElvesBook · 1994
- 4Time of ContemptBook · 1995
- 5Baptism of FireBook · 1996
- 6The Tower of the SwallowBook · 1997
- 7The Lady of the LakeBook · 1999
- 8The WitcherVideo game · 2007Optional
- 9The Witcher 2: Assassins of KingsVideo game · 2011Optional
- 10Season of StormsBook · 2013Optional
- 11The Witcher 3: Wild HuntVideo game · 2015
- 12The WitcherTV show · 2019
- 13The Witcher: Nightmare of the WolfMovie · 2021Optional
Game first
For players who want to start with The Witcher 3: play it, then go back to the books to meet everyone properly.
- 1The Witcher 3: Wild HuntVideo game · 2015
- 2The Last WishBook · 1993
- 3Sword of DestinyBook · 1992
- 4Blood of ElvesBook · 1994
- 5Time of ContemptBook · 1995
- 6Baptism of FireBook · 1996
- 7The Tower of the SwallowBook · 1997
- 8The Lady of the LakeBook · 1999
EVERY ENTRY
All 13 entries, in our recommended order
What each one is, why it sits where it does, and where it falls in each order. Save any of them to a list, no account needed.
Book · 1993 · Andrzej Sapkowski
The Last Wish
Books, then games, then the show: #1 · Release order: #2 · Game first: #2
Linked short stories, several reworked from Sapkowski's earliest work, that introduce Geralt, Yennefer and Jaskier (Dandelion). Start here: this is the true beginning, and most of the first Netflix season comes from it.
Book · 1992 · Andrzej Sapkowski
Sword of Destiny
Books, then games, then the show: #2 · Release order: #1 · Game first: #3
The second story collection, and the one that introduces Ciri and Geralt's bond of destiny. It was published first in Polish but reads best after The Last Wish, whose stories it builds on.
Book · 1994 · Andrzej Sapkowski
Blood of Elves
Books, then games, then the show: #3 · Release order: #3 · Game first: #4
The first novel of the saga. War is coming, Ciri trains at the witchers' keep, and the politics of the Northern Kingdoms take over the story.
Book · 1995 · Andrzej Sapkowski
Time of Contempt
Books, then games, then the show: #4 · Release order: #4 · Game first: #5
A coup among the mages at Thanedd Island tears everyone apart. It is the turning point of the saga and the basis of much of the show's later seasons.
Book · 1996 · Andrzej Sapkowski
Baptism of Fire
Books, then games, then the show: #5 · Release order: #5 · Game first: #6
Geralt gathers an unlikely company and sets out to find Ciri. Many readers' favorite of the novels, thanks to that company.
Book · 1997 · Andrzej Sapkowski
The Tower of the Swallow
Books, then games, then the show: #6 · Release order: #6 · Game first: #7
Ciri's story, told partly in flashback and in her darkest stretch. Some English editions call it The Tower of Swallows.
Book · 1999 · Andrzej Sapkowski
The Lady of the Lake
Books, then games, then the show: #7 · Release order: #7 · Game first: #8
The long, ambitious ending of the saga. The games pick up some years after its final pages.
Book · 2013 · Andrzej Sapkowski
Season of StormsOptional
Books, then games, then the show: #8 · Release order: #10
A stand-alone adventure set between the stories of The Last Wish. Read it after the saga, as a coda; its epilogue only means something once you know how everything ends.
Video game · 2007
The WitcherOptional
Books, then games, then the show: #9 · Release order: #8
CD Projekt Red's first game finds Geralt with amnesia, a neat way to let newcomers in. Its combat has aged badly; read a summary if it puts you off.
Video game · 2011
The Witcher 2: Assassins of KingsOptional
Books, then games, then the show: #10 · Release order: #9
A political thriller in which Geralt is framed for a king's murder. Its second act changes completely depending on one choice, and your save can carry into The Witcher 3.
Video game · 2015
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Books, then games, then the show: #11 · Release order: #11 · Game first: #1
Geralt searches for Ciri across a vast open world. It is a direct sequel to the books' characters, and both expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, are among the best in gaming.
TV show · 2019
The Witcher
Books, then games, then the show: #12 · Release order: #12
Netflix's adaptation. Season one tells three timelines at once, which confuses many viewers; it helps to know that Geralt's, Yennefer's and Ciri's stories are set decades apart until they meet.
Movie · 2021 · Kwang Il Han
The Witcher: Nightmare of the WolfOptional
Books, then games, then the show: #13 · Release order: #13
An animated film about Vesemir, Geralt's mentor, as a young witcher. A fast, self-contained prequel to the show.
Where to start
Start with The Last Wish, then Sword of Destiny. They are short story collections and the easiest way to learn whether Sapkowski's voice is for you. If it is, carry on with Blood of Elves and the rest of the saga before the games.
If you only want one thing, play The Witcher 3. It recaps what you need, and plenty of people loved it before reading a single book.
Questions
Do I need to play the first two games before The Witcher 3?
No. The Witcher 3 explains its past well enough, and the first game is the hardest to go back to. The Witcher 2 is worth playing if you love the third.
Why read The Last Wish before Sword of Destiny if it came out later?
Sapkowski reworked his first stories into The Last Wish, and Sword of Destiny follows on from them. Every English edition numbers The Last Wish as book one for that reason.
Is the Netflix series the same story as the books?
It adapts the books, starting with the short stories, but it changes and reorders events. Watch it as its own telling, and expect differences if you know the books.
How we chose
Prepared by OmniTrackr and reviewed by the site owner before publishing. We listed the entries most people mean by "The Witcher", checked release years and story placement against public sources, and marked as optional the side stories that are not needed to follow the main story. The recommended order is editorial opinion: it is the order we would hand a friend starting from nothing.
Release years are for the first release in the original language. Running times, editions and availability vary by region. Links go to OmniTrackr title pages, not shops. Your progress is worked out from your own library each time you open the page; nothing about it is shared.
First published October 17, 2026. Checked October 17, 2026. Suggest a franchise or send a correction · Editorial standards · If you liked guides