Our March cover story gives a world-exclusive peek into the next generation of RPGs with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This standalone sequel takes the fascinating stories and characters, non-linear plotlines, and difficult decisions that the franchise is known for and puts them all in an open world 30 times larger than the previous game – an enormous setting even larger than Skyrim's vast expanse, made possible with the new REDengine 3 technology that developer CD Projekt RED is debuting with the game. Our huge feature dives into everything The Witcher 3 has to offer, and it's a lot: the detective work that precedes deadly combat when monster hunting, storylines that weave and twist together between political intrigue and otherworldly menaces, and a tired hero who wants to set things right but can't put down his swords until his conscience allows – if it ever does.

Coming in 2014 on PC and "all high-end platforms available" (CD Projekt RED isn't saying flat-out that it's a next-gen game, but it's a safe bet that new console announcements in the coming months will define the term "high-end platform"), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stretches from stormy islands to war-torn forests and a sprawling dark fantasy metropolis without a loading screen anywhere to be found.

 

Above: Check out our trailer for the month of Witcher 3 online coverage we have planned.

The March issue doesn't stop with The Witcher 3, though. Six pages of Matt Bertz's thoughts after playing several hours of BioShock Infinite give as spoiler-free of an account as possible. A deep look at how Disney is crossing the physical/digital divide across all of its properties in Disney Infinity follows. A little property called Star Wars is coming to Zen Studios' pinball empire, and we have the exclusive story on that as well. We've also got an in-depth feature digging into how video game writers work, with insights from Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli, The Walking Dead) and Corey May (Assassin's Creed series) among others. Finally, our previews run the gamut from Jon Blow's The Witness to Splinter Cell Blacklist and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, so you've got plenty to look forward to in 2013.

As always, you can click into the cover below for the high-resolution image featuring Geralt and someone CD Projekt RED has asked us to keep a secret for now.

Print subscribers should start seeing their March issues in the next two weeks. If you can't wait that long to get the full details on The Witcher 3 and the rest of the content (don't worry, we understand), you can subscribe to our digital issue – which can be accessed by subscribers via web browser, iPad, or Android devices around 2 p.m. Central Time. Check our Twitter feed to find out the moment the digital edition of our March book goes live, and don't forget to update your apps in the meantime.

If you aren't yet a digital subscriber, you can convert your print subscription here or start a new subscription here. You can also purchase individual issues or subscribe via the appropriate apps. If you prefer a physical copy of the magazine, contact backissues@gameinformer.com.

Click the banner below to go to our Witcher 3 hub, where you'll find additional exclusive content throughout the month.