Summary

  • The Witcher 3 reached its lifetime sales goal of 6 million units within just three months.
  • By 2023, the game had sold a staggering 50 million units worldwide.
  • Even 10 years after its release, The Witcher 3 remains popular thanks to its captivating narrative, vast open world, and engaging gameplay mechanics.

CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michal Nowakowski revealed that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt reached the developer’s "super ambitious” sales goal of roughly six million units in just three months. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is considered by many one of the best video games of the century, with an ever-enduring popularity despite having been released 10 years ago.

There are many reasons why The Witcher 3 is still a solid option to play in 2025, as it can compete with even the latest releases in the industry. Geralt’s journey resonated with millions in the gaming community, offering a captivating, dark, and engaging RPG with a branching narrative within a massive open world packed with monsters, charming NPCs, and a wealth of activities to do. Even though the story is based on a series of fantasy books written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, many came to know Geralt, the Witcher, first thanks to the overwhelming popularity of the game, which actually helped the books' visibility. While it may seem obvious why the game took the gaming community by storm, it was recently revealed how unexpected the game’s fast success felt for the developer.

cd projekt's ceos revealed they slept under their desks before the witcher 3's success
Witcher 3 CEOs Open Up About the Struggles Before the Game’s Breakthrough

CD Projekt's CEOs open up about the challenges they faced long before The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt became a hit and the studio's breakthrough.

By 

CD Projekt Red Joint-CEO Michal Nowakowski said during an interview with PC Gamer that the studio’s "super ambitious" lifetime sales goal of six million units was achieved in the first three months of the game. It smashed that goal, and in 2023, The Witcher 3 achieved the jaw-dropping number of 50 million units sold—a number that continues to increase.

The Witcher 3 Reached Its Lifetime Sales Goal of 6 Million Units Within Just Three Months

Among other legendary games in the industry like Super Mario Bros., Red Dead Redemption 2, and Minecraft, The Witcher 3 is one of the 10 best-selling video games of all time—definitely not what CD Projekt Red had expected at first. In fact, Nowakowski revealed that the studio was worried that Batman: Arkham Knight would jeopardize The Witcher 3's launch—but the story ended up being completely different for CD Projekt Red.

The Witcher 3 is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, and the developer wants to honor the RPG’s enduring appeal with fans. One way the game is being celebrated is with a global concert tour that started in May, bringing the soundtrack to life across various countries in 2025 and 2026. Additionally, Xbox is releasing themed wireless controllers based on the game. While players keep enjoying The Witcher 3’s main game—along with its two DLCs, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine—CD Projekt Red continues celebrating the game’s legacy.

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
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RPG
Action
Adventure
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Systems
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Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
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Released
May 19, 2015
ESRB
M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
Developer(s)
CD Projekt Red
Publisher(s)
CD Projekt Red
Engine
REDengine 3
Cross-Platform Play
yes
Cross Save
yes
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
RPG, Action, Adventure