Development began in 2011 and lasted for three-and-a-half years, of which over two-and-a-half years were devoted to voice recording. The writing was infused with real-life aspects like moral ambiguity in a deliberate attempt to avoid simplification, impart authenticity, and reflect Sapkowski's novels. Europe was the basis of the game's open world, with Poland, Amsterdam, and Scandinavia as its primary inspirations. REDengine 3 enabled the developer to create a complex story without compromising the game world, whose size was enlarged by PlayStation 4 and Xbox One technology. The music was primarily composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz and performed in Germany by the Brandenburg State Orchestra.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on 19 May 2015. The game received critical acclaim, with praise of its gameplay, narrative, world design, combat, and visuals, although it received minor criticism due to technical issues, some of which were later patched. It was most-awarded game that released in 2015, receiving Game of the Year awards from gaming publications, critics, and award events, and is considered one of the greatest games of all time. The game was also a commercial success, shipping nearly 10 million copies by March 2016. Two expansion packs, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, were also released. A Game of the Year edition, with the base game, expansion packs and all downloadable content, was released in August 2016.