The life of a witcher isn't just about killing monsters, as The Witcher games have shown multiple times. Geralt's story over the course of the three games had him strike romances, break friendships, encounter unusual people, as well as face heavy moral dilemmas. As a result, the games offered more than one touching moment for those fans who grew to like and worry about the characters.
It helps that the games offer a clear characterization of the heroes and villains alike, making them seem very real. While each person finds something else touching, the most notable The Witcher moments made multiple fans cry.
5 Ciri Dies (Twice)
The Witcher 3 has three potential endings for Ciri, depending on the player's choices. Either she becomes a witcher, the future empress of Nilfgaard, or she's presumed dead in what most fans describe as a bad ending. The worst ending only comes if Geralt undermines Ciri's confidence throughout the game. If he does, the game suggests that Ciri died when she was battling the White Frost and no one could have recovered her frozen body. Another option is that Ciri won but didn't want to have anything to do with Geralt anymore, so she let him think she was dead.
Whatever the case, the result is the same for Geralt. He becomes heartbroken and bitter and loses his will to live. After defeating the last Crone, Geralt sits down in resignation and lets the monsters swarm him and presumably tear him apart, leaving the ending ambiguous. Many players shed tears when they heard that Ciri was dead and saw how hard her loss hit Geralt. Another similar moment happened when Geralt found Ciri on the Isle of Mists after the dwarves told him she had died.
4 Vesemir's Death
While Ciri's death in The Witcher 3 is tragic, it's still avoidable. The same can't be said for Vesemir's death. No matter what the players do, Vesemir always dies during the battle at Kaer Morhen when he's protecting Ciri. Not only is Vesemir like a father figure to both Geralt and Ciri, but he's also one of the very first characters the players encounter in the game, which gives them plenty of time to get to know Vesemir and grow to like him.
His death is made even more devastating by the fact that Ciri is forced to watch it, unable to help Vesemir. Despite the gravity of the situation, Vesemir's last words aren't born of anger but of his love for Ciri. A lot of players' eyes didn't stay dry in this scene during their first playthrough.
3 The Bloody Baron's Unborn Daughter
The Bloody Baron whom Geralt encounters in Velen is easily one of the most morally ambiguous characters in The Witcher 3. On one hand, he's a drunk who beat his wife until she had enough and went to the evil Crones who drove her to madness. On the other hand, he's a man with regrets who wants to atone for his past sins. When the Bloody Baron learns that the murdering fetus of his unborn child can help him find his family, he begs Geralt not to kill the child and instead turn her into a lubberkin, a guardian spirit.
If Geralt chooses this option, there's a touching scene in which the Bloody Baron is performing the naming ritual, finally accepting his daughter. At the end of the naming ritual, his daughter briefly reaches out to him. The scene struck a chord with many players, especially those who have children, and the actors' voice performances made it even more emotionally charged.
2 King Foltest Is Assassinated
Some of the saddest moments in The Witcher game series make the fans cry, especially when they get to know the character more. In The Witcher 2, the players witness King Foltest interacting with his children whom he clearly loves. Yet even the love of a father for his children isn't enough to save his life, especially if he wears a crown.
King Foltest is assassinated in an intense scene made all the more touching by the soundtrack that highlights the tragedy that's taking place. It will make players sad, especially if they lost a parent as well. While not on the same level as the most upsetting deaths in The Witcher 3, this particular moment still has a lot of strength to it. It also serves as yet another example that even characters who have done bad things in the past can make the fans feel sad because of their violent demise.
1 A Woman Doesn't Remember Her Husband
Going back to The Witcher 3, the quest "Black Pearl" set in Novigrad and Skellige starts in a fairly ordinary way. Geralt meets an older man who asks for his help. He wants to find the rare black pearl and bring it as a gift to his wife. After fulfilling the task, Geralt reunites with the man and learns the real story behind the black pearl.
It turns out that the man's wife no longer remembers her husband because of an illness and that the attempt to jog her memory by giving her the pearl failed. It's a sad moment since the quest makes it obvious there are some problems in the world of The Witcher that even magic and witchers can't fix.