The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been out for so long, and yet many fans of the game are still unraveling new in-game secrets. It just goes to show how much thought and planning went into craftingthis fantastic, almost peerless adventure. The title has been out since 2015 and wonGame Of The Yearin the same year, but updates ready for PC, Playstation 5, and Xbox Series X|S kept it relevant in the years that followed.
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Prior to its launch, The Witcher 3 had been plagued by leaks and hacks. Fans in 2014 tried to avoid the internet as much as possible, with potential spoilers lurking on every corner.CD Projekt Redconfirmed some such leaks withEurogamer, but it is hard not to think about the parts of the leaks that didn’t make it into the final version of the game. Here are some of the best pieces of cut content we sadly didn’t get to see in the final release.
5The Mighty Manticore
While the game’s launch cinematic featured a bruxa, this monster wouldn’t be added to the game until the launch of the Blood and Wine DLC. Along with this DLC came the Manticore Witcher Gear, which is a reference to Geralt’s basic armor inThe Witcher. The Manticore monster was part of the initial plans, along with a number of removed side quests. However, it did not make it into the launch version of the game. Boasting a scorpion tail, bat-like wings, and the body of a lion, the Manticore is a vicious monster (as described in the books andThronebreaker: The Witcher Tales). In Thronebreaker, Meve and her knights can help Eyck of Denesle vanquish a manticore. This monster battle consists of five enemy card decks, each representing a body part of the Manticore.
There’s a possibility that the Witcher 3 version of this monster would also have multiple weaknesses, despite having the ability to deal massive damage. There is no doubt it would be a difficult boss if it was ever added to the final version of the game. Since the monster inspired Geralt’s Blood and Wine DLC armor from the first game, you might get a chance to see this beast in The Witcher Remake.
4Another Quest That Sees Geralt Flaunt His Acting Skills
In the game, Geralt is pushed into acting for a stage play in the main quest The Play’s the Thing. This quest allows you to choose the genre of the play, and Geralt will have to play himself. However, there is another quest with Dandelion involving a different kind of stage play.
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The unpublished quest is called The Edge Of Acting, which follows Geralt and Dandelion looking for a missing actor. After Geralt finds out the actor is dead, Dandelion and the stage director find themselves seeking someone who will play a very specific role. Geralt then volunteers to play as himself, but is offered the role of a sylvan instead. You can then accept or decline the offer. If you accept and get Geralt’s lines right, he will receive an award. If you mess up the dialogue, the Butcher Of Blaviken gets booed for also butchering the role. It seems highly likely that this quest was scrapped and then replaced by the Cabaret side quest instead.
3The Vicious Vendigo
Described as a fearsome monster with elk horns and blood-caked lips, the vendigo is another terrifying monster that failed to join the wide bestiary of creatures from the final game. In the paper-and-pen game The Witcher: The Role-Playing Game’s bestiary (the game is availablehere), the monster is described as having ragged and pale skin, claws that are riddled with disease, and a curse that will turn its victims into flesh-eating creatures.
The vendigo curses its victim by just looking them in the eyes. Once you are cursed by a vendigo, you’ll have three days to cure yourself, or you’ll turn into one of its spawns. Afraid of fire, the vendigo can be instantly killed by making a piercing attack on its heart. The Vendigo/Wendigo was, per the 2014 leaks, planned to feature in the game, but ultimately didn’t. It’s possible that it wasn’t added to the final release due to massive changes in combat mechanics being needed: How would the curse have worked, and how would Geralt have cured himself after being afflicted with it?
2The Mystery Of The False Ciri
The vast open world of The Witcher 3is divided into different kingdoms who have varied opinions on how to expand their lands. In the books, False Ciri became the key for Emhyr Var Emreis to conquer Cintra. Invading and conquering kingdoms in The Witcher universe involves a lot of complicated marriages and alliances, so in order for the Nilfgaardian emperor to become the king of Cintra, he had to marry a false Cirilla.
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False Ciri’s true name is unknown, and after the wedding to the emperor, was sent to Darn Rowan, part of the farthest regions of Nilfgaard. CD Projekt Red could’ve had something in mind for this False Ciri, as they’ve already given her a codename, “Becca” - a reference to the first queen of Cintra. There have been multiple theories about why False Ciri wasn’t added in the final game, as she was also set to appear in the Skellige Isles, but they later scrapped the idea and used her codename for Cerys instead.
1Iorveth’s Appearance
Fans of the franchise know that some characters appear exclusively within the books or games. In The Witcher 3, there is an option to simulate a Witcher 2 save file which allows you to recruit one of the main characters of the previous game for the Battle Of Kaer Morhen. One of themost iconic and formidable charactersin the second game was Iorveth, and he almost had an appearance in The Witcher 3.
A Scoia’tel commando leader, Iorveth is an Aen Seidhe elf who played a pivotal role inThe Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings. He was an acquaintance of Geralt, and they eventually became comrade-in-arms at the end of the second game. He was planned to be added as a main character in the third game, but was later removed due to difficulties involving development.
The cut content contained a lot of spoilers back when it was unintentionally leaked to the public. Iorveth’s role in the initial plans for The Witcher 3 was so significant that he was also set to appear in the Battle Of Kaer Morhen. His supposed appearance in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt involves him helping Geralt as the Witcher tries to find Triss Merigold. There is also cut content containing an entire quest line, revolving around his leadership for the elves and his quest to save Velen from a plague.
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