How Old Geralt Is In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Christopher Ramos Players control Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which takes place in 1272, making the legendary monster hunter almost a century old.
Geralt of Rivia is the player character and protagonist in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but it can be difficult to gauge how old Geralt actually is. The Witcher universe features many magical species and monsters that outlive most human lifespans, and witchers are particularly difficult to understand. The emergence of the Netflix Witcher show and the existing book series provides plenty of information and background story on the Continent's various creatures and characters, but many game fans likely haven't experienced this content to the fullest. As a result, Geralt's lifespan and age can only be determined by the events he's survived and the average lifespan of other witchers or characters.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes place in 1272, when the war between Nilfgaard and Redania is raging across the Continent. Unfortunately, the Wild Hunt is also descending on the world and threatens all its inhabitants. Players control Geralt of Rivia, a legendary witcher who battled monsters alongside sorcerers, witches, elves, and more for many years. His skills in defeating the supernatural are unparalleled, but some players may wonder how many years Geralt has been fighting. Unlike other humanoid species in The Witcher universe, the answer is slightly more complicated with mutant monster hunters.
Though most witchers begin as human children, their mutations at the School of the Wolf enhance their abilities, senses, and body. Unfortunately, making new witchers is a closely guarded secret by all the schools. The Sacking of Kaer Morhen deprived the Wolves of the ability to make more witchers as swiftly as previously. Unfortunately, it's difficult to gauge how old witchers can become. Their dangerous lifestyles and frequent mobs against inhuman creatures often kill witchers before they die of old age. Vesemir, the oldest witcher at Kaer Morhen (in the games), is several centuries old and still capable of battling monsters. However, Geralt has undergone several life-changing events and suffered many injuries that could affect his longevity. Using The Witcher show, novels, and games as a reference, players can determine Geralt's approximate age in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Geralt Is Almost A Century Old In The Witcher 3
Unfortunately, it's unlikely for players and fans to obtain a direct answer about Geralt's age. When he was young, Geralt's mother offered him to Kaer Morhen, leaving his exact birth year to speculation. The Witcher novels provide some context to Geralt's age, but the games don't follow the same timeline and occasionally alter the context based on player choices. Thankfully, other characters' ages can help players discover Geralt's approximate age. The Witcher 3's lore entries state that Geralt is a year younger than Yennefer, who was born in 1173. Since The Witcher 3 takes place in 1272, Geralt would be approximately 98 to 99 years old (depending on his birth month).
A common misconception about Geralt's age is that he must be over a century old due to the raid on Kaer Morhen. Most fans believe that the creation of witchers ceased after the attack, but according to the Blood of Elves novel, the School made witchers for many years afterward. In an interview, author Andrzej Sapkowski confirmed that Geralt hides his age to avoid being denied a job by uninformed peasants and kings. He perpetually states that he is 50 years or under, further misleading readers and fans about his actual age.
While it's unknown if CDPR will ever confirm Geralt's age in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, fans could gather more information in the upcoming Witcher 4 game. However, it's also unknown if players will take control of Geralt in the series again, especially considering the satisfying conclusion he received at The Witcher 3's ending. Nevertheless, players that wish to experience what a century-old witcher can do can purchase The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its latest Netflix show expansion on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch systems.
