A Philosophical Analysis of Moral Choices in the Game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Initially, video games that emphasized morality either had a simple measure for the level of good and evil with an unambiguous interpretation provided by the developers, or else morality was built into the plot of the game where a morally “right” or “wrong” choice led to the corresponding ending. Some more recent games, however, present a more complex and ambiguous system of moral choices. This paper conducts a philosophical analysis of moral choices in the game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt based on a study of 100 variants of story progression. The method adopted is to analyze the content of the choices presented to the player along the course of the main plot and the side quests. The paper will then attempt to isolate recurring elements and the variety of decisions possible in the game world. The analysis revealed that 25% of the quests offer a choice between salvation and destruction, with 15% of the quests having a strong impact on the main plot of the game. Family relationships matter in 32 % of the quests, influencing the decision-making. 40% of quests involve an ethical choice between personal good and the good of others. There is no simple logic that allows the player to predict the consequences of a particular choice. The main goal of this study is to highlight the diversity of ethical concepts reflected in game scenarios, which facilitates the discussion of moral issues and ethical dilemmas in both virtual and real worlds.