Prologue in Gaming: The Opening Before the Main Story
A prologue is the opening section of a game that sits before the numbered acts or chapters. It sets up who you play, teaches the controls on a short, guided path, and ends at a clear point where the main game opens up. In story games that point is often the moment the map, the quest log or the skill system suddenly gets bigger.
The word is not fixed. One game labels its first hours "Prologue", another calls the same thing "Chapter 1", and a third has no label at all. This page uses three well-documented examples, read from each game's fan wiki on 2 November 2026.
How real games build a prologue
| Game | Prologue content | Where it ends |
|---|---|---|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Five listed quests: Kaer Morhen, Lilac and Gooseberries, The Beast of White Orchard, The Incident at White Orchard and Imperial Audience | After Imperial Audience in Vizima, Act I opens with Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, which the wiki says can generally be done in any order |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | One of three prologue jobs, chosen by your lifepath: The Corpo-Rat, The Nomad or The Streetkid. All three introduce Jackie Welles and double as tutorials | A six-month montage, then Act 1, where exploration is limited to the Watson district |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | No section called Prologue on the wiki: the opening is Chapter 1 "Colter", starting with the mission "Outlaws from the West" | Chapter 1 hands over to Chapter 2 (Horseshoe Overlook); the story has six chapters and ends with an epilogue in two parts, Pronghorn Ranch and Beecher's Hope |
Two details are worth noticing. In The Witcher 3 the prologue is spread over three places (Kaer Morhen, White Orchard and Vizima), so it is a travelling tutorial, not one room. In Cyberpunk 2077 the prologue is the only part that depends on your character background: the three jobs are mutually exclusive, and after them the main story is shared.
Prologue, tutorial and demo
- Tutorial. Teaches mechanics and may have no story at all. A prologue can include a tutorial, as Cyberpunk 2077's prologue jobs do, but it also introduces the setting.
- Prologue. Part of the finished game. Skipping it means skipping the start of the story.
- Demo or free prologue. A separate download that shares the name. Some publishers release a short "Prologue" on a store page as a trial of the full game; it is a different product with its own install and often its own save.
- Intro cutscene. Passive, often a few minutes. It can be the first piece of a prologue.
What a prologue means for progress
A prologue is built to be short and low-stakes, and the game often holds systems back until it ends.
- Content is tuned low. The fan wiki lists The Witcher 3's White Orchard and Vizima prologue quests at levels 2 and 3, well below the quests of Act I.
- Areas can stay closed. Cyberpunk 2077 limits exploration in Act 1 to the Watson district.
- Choices made before the prologue can set which prologue you get. In Cyberpunk 2077 the lifepath picks one of the three jobs, which all take place in 2076, before the main story moves on.
Common mistakes
- Skipping a prologue to "save time". In story games it is also the only section that explains the setting.
- Expecting every game to have one. Red Dead Redemption 2 starts straight with Chapter 1.
- Confusing a prologue with a prequel. A prequel is a separate game set earlier in the story; a prologue is part of the same game.
Related terms
- Gaming slang glossary: common terms players use for game sections and play styles.
- Game version: how builds and releases are numbered.
- Telemetry in gaming: what games record, including how far players get.
- General gaming terms: more terms that apply to any game.
FAQ
What is a prologue in a video game?
It is the guided opening before the main story begins. It introduces the character, the setting and the basic controls, and it usually ends at a clear story beat after which the game opens up.
How many quests is the Witcher 3 prologue?
The fan wiki lists five: Kaer Morhen, Lilac and Gooseberries, The Beast of White Orchard, The Incident at White Orchard and Imperial Audience.
Does Cyberpunk 2077 have one prologue or several?
Three, but you play only one. The lifepath you choose (Corpo, Nomad or Streetkid) decides which of the three jobs you get.
Can you skip a game's prologue?
Usually not. It is part of the main campaign, so skipping would skip the start of the story. A separate demo called "Prologue" is a different thing.
