The world of The Witcher is often defined by its grit: the spray of monster blood, the moral grey of political backstabbing, and the heavy burden of being a mutant for hire.
But what happens when that world is filtered through the wine-soaked, ego-driven lens of Dandelion the Bard?
The answer is Reigns: The Witcher, the latest collaboration between CD Projekt Red, Nerial, and Devolver Digital.
Launching today, February 25, 2026, this “swipe-’em-up” narrative adventure manages to capture the soul of the Continent while poking fun at the very legends we’ve spent hundreds of hours building.
Previous incarnations in the series, such as Reigns: Beyond, have been well reviewed and The Witcher follows on in sync.
A Narrative Masterstroke: The Unreliable Narrator
The genius of Reigns: The Witcher lies in its framing.
You aren’t playing through a “lost chapter” of Geralt’s life; you are playing through Dandelion’s latest performance.
Because the bard is an unreliable narrator, the scenarios are often hilariously exaggerated.
One moment you’re negotiating a contract for a drowner, and the next – after a single wrong swipe – you’re being chased by a “tarasque” (a dragon-turtle from French myth) or finding yourself in an oddly romantic encounter involving a stuffed unicorn.
It’s a meta-commentary on how heroes become myths, and it gives the developers at Nerial the freedom to be as weird and slapstick as they want.
How to Play Reigns: The Witcher – Mechanics and Strategy
For those unfamiliar with the Reigns series, the gameplay is deceptively simple: you are presented with a card representing a choice.
Swipe left to decline or right to accept.
Every decision impacts four balancing bars: Humans, Non-Humans, Mages, and your own Witcher Reputation.
If any bar bottoms out or hits the ceiling, Geralt meets a gruesome (and often funny) demise.
The challenge isn’t just surviving; it’s about staying “on the path” long enough to unlock new story beats.
Unlike previous entries, this version introduces a rhythmic combat minigame.
When a monster attacks, you must hop left and right on a grid to dodge strikes and land your own silver-sword counters.
It’s a small addition, but it makes the game feel much more “Witcher” than a standard card game.
Familiar Faces and Fan Service
Fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will find plenty to love here.
Icons like Yennefer, Triss, Vesemir, and even Regis make appearances, though their personalities are heightened by Dandelion’s “creative” writing.
These interactions lead to thousands of narrative combinations, ensuring that no two “runs” feel exactly the same.
Is it Worth Playing on Steam Deck or Mobile?
While Reigns has always felt at home on mobile, Reigns: The Witcher is officially Steam Deck Verified.
The tactile feel of swiping with the trackpads or touch screen makes it a perfect “coffee break” game.
For a budget-friendly price of $5.99, it offers 15–20 hours of narrative discovery – a perfect stopgap while we wait for the eventual release of The Witcher 4.
Verdict: Reigns: The Witcher is a clever, funny, and surprisingly deep expansion of Geralt’s world.
It proves that you don’t need a massive open world to tell a great Witcher story – sometimes, all you need is a good song and a steady thumb.
