Current Events > Are the Witcher 1&2 at all required to play or know before 3?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm interested in starting up 3 given that recent current gen update. I'm aware these are based on books (maybe I'd read those for the first two games if they were adapted from em?) and that the show content doesn't overlap with the games.

Started the show yesterday

Nope.

you'll miss reference and callbacks but otherwise not 100% required

I did not play 1or 2, and 3 was still my favorite game of the last generation.

So dont worry and enjoy!

Not reading the books is a much bigger issue than playing the previous games, but no it's optional.

I believe all 3 games take place after the events of the books. The show is based, to varying degrees, on the books in order.

That being said, I played 3 and enjoyed it without having read or played the previous games. Since playing 3 and watching season 1 & 2 I have completed 6/8 of the books.

Watch a recap on youtube. You'll miss stuff but it doesn't really matter. 1 is unplayable now anyway

1 is a pretty dated PC exclusive, especially the gameplay. I'm hopeful for the remake, but you can skip it.

2 is on Xbox & PC & is a great fucking game.

That said, you can play 3 as a stand alone, but you'll be missing out on lots of backstory.

The novels all take place before the games-- the games are effectively sequels to the book series. They're great too.

The TV show is a horrible adaptation, but considering the writers hate the source material, that's to be expected.

No, but they're both great games in their own way and are definitely worth a playthrough.

There's a bit at the beginning where you have to go through some stuff from 2 that you wouldn't have any context for (I hadn't played 2, so I just looked it all up), but other than that, nothing really.

Witcher 1 and 2 take after the books and shows but by design do not reference them to any real degree. Geralt has amnesia and a lot of important book characters are absent or significantly reduced.

Witcher 3 almost reverses course on this. It is far more of a direct sequel to the books and brings in a lot more of the major book characters as well as continuations of book plots. It references is the first two games but not in any significant way that would leave the player lost. And while it does serve as a more direct continuation of the books, it's presented in a way that someone unfamiliar with them will catch up real quick so there isn't much harm going in blind.

I will say that if you are interested in the books/show story, that Witcher 3 does spoil a pretty major book plot twist pretty early in the game. I don't think it would hurt your experience too much, and probably isn't worth putting off playing a great game just to read 5 mediocre books, but it's worth noting.