10 Video Game Side Missions That MASSIVELY Change The Main Story

From romance to loyalties, many decisions could affect your playthrough in Witcher 3. Released back in 2015, CD Projekt Red’s trilogy gave players significant freedom in determining story progression, part of which included the Third Northern War’s outcome.

Determined through the Assassin’s Quests, completing these allow Geralt to undertake a new mission, “Reason of State”. Finding Redanian King Radovid V calling for information on sorceress Phillipa Eilhart’s whereabouts.

Scheming with Radovid’s spymaster Dijkstra, alongside conspirators Roche, Ves and Thaler, you instigate a plan to lure the king out to St Gregory’s Bridge, using late King Vizimir’s ring to convince him of Phillipa’s whereabouts.

Upon reaching the bridge, Radovid turns on Geralt but Roche’s ambush keeps him alive and eventually, Phillipa reappears, killing the Redanian King. Upon returning to safety, Thaler confirms the existence of a peace deal with Nilfgaard, designed to restore Temeria’s sovereignty on condition of Radovid’s death.

At this point, Dijkstra turns on the group, looking to rule the northern realms himself as Redanian Chancellor and holds Roche, Ves and Thaler hostage but gives Geralt the option to walk away. Doing that sees them slaughter by Dijkstra’s men but if he fights, Dijkstra will die instead, leaving them free to follow the peace agreement.

If you failed to undertake these missions, Radovid instead wins the war and begins mass-persecuting magic users across the North. It goes to show that every decision counts.