Witcher 3: Should You Simulate a Witcher 2 Save?

Just fired up The Witcher 3 Remastered and hit with that 'simulate Witcher 2 save' prompt? It's a small choice that makes a big difference.

First, the short answer: turn it on. Even if you've never played The Witcher 2, choosing to simulate a save gives you control over major story beats from the previous game. You'll get to decide who lived and who died, which directly affects quests and characters in The Witcher 3.

If you have actual save data from The Witcher 2, you can import it instead. That automatically carries over your decisions. But if you don't, simulating is the next best thing. It opens up a series of dialogue options during Geralt's visit to Emperor Emhyr's palace in Vizima. There, you'll answer questions about the fates of several characters.

The most important one? Whether Letho is dead or alive. This is the final question, and it's crucial. If you want to interact with Letho and complete his quests in The Witcher 3, you must choose the option that keeps him alive. If he's dead, you'll miss out on a whole section of the game.

What happens if you turn simulation off? The story falls back on default choices. Here's what those defaults are: Aryan La Valette is alive, Henselt is dead, you saved Anais, Síle de Tansarville died, and Letho was killed. That last one means you'll completely bypass Letho's questline, which is a big loss if you want to experience everything.

So whether you're a returning player or a first-timer, simulating your Witcher 2 save is the way to go. It gives you agency over the narrative and ensures you don't miss out on content. Plus, it's a neat way to shape your own version of Geralt's story without having played the previous game.

Will you be simulating your save or importing an old one? Let us know in the comments!