Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales was an accompaniment to CD Projekt RED’s release of a standalone version of Gwent–the card game first introduced in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It’s been out on consoles and PC for some time, but today it joins Gwent in the jump over to mobile.
Thronebreaker uses Gwent as its mechanic for combat, but it’s otherwise a new standalone story in The Witcher universe that doesn’t center on Geralt of Rivia. Instead, it acts as a prequel to game trilogy, staring Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia as she fights back against the invading Nilfgaardian Empire.
The story helps contextualize the political strife present in the core Witcher titles, and even explains how Geralt received his title from Rivia. It’s a long role-playing adventure with choices to make, various regions to explore, and battles to fight, which you can now do on iOS. Thronebreaker is up for purchase on the App Store, with CD Projekt RED promising an Android version later this year.
The game requires around 4GB of storage and costs $10. If you’re an avid Gwent player, you can also unlock new ornaments and 20 new cards for use in the multiplayer offering with your purchase. CD Projekt RED is also extending its offer of digital freebies to Thronebreaker players on iOS, which include the game’s soundtrack, digital map, and more.
We praised the story and role-playing aspects of this Witcher side-story in our 9/10 Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales review, saying, “Its tale is mandatory if you’re looking for more Witcher lore to chew on and manages to engage you with a strong cast of well-written characters and a suitably dark plot that challenges your morals every chance it can.”
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