but I really want to play the Witcher 2 on the 360.

Would skipping the first mean I'd be missing out on crucial plot info, or will I be okay?

The most I could do would be to read the plot summary on wikipedia or something.

I think that it's ok, because they did recap intro from first game to xbox360 version of whitcher 2.

Most developers are pretty good about either making sure sequels are either unrelated to the previous game in story (See, Fable series, minus a brief explanation that the hero in 3 is decended from the hero in 2, Fallout minus 1's connection to 2), or doing recaps if it's important (See, God of War series). I couldn't tell you if Witcher does either though odds are it may not be too big a deal. Someone else will probably give me hell for saying this though.

The only downside is that it does directly follow on from the first game. So you'll see some of the ending of the first game. But only really the part which was setting up the story of the sequel anyway. So it won't ruin the first game for you should you want to play it someday.

Instead of reading a plot summary, you could watch an official plot summary. It's a plot summary, it's got spoilers. :p

Well hey that's useful.

anyway thanks for the response everyone. I think I should get it anyway since it's probably the only chance I'll get to play a Witcher game any time soon.

The best case scenario is if you've read the books, then finished the first game, then the second. If I had to choose between knowing the books or playing through the first game, I'd probably choose the books still (you just get a better feel for the characters and the setting in general).

The only problem here is that not all the books are available in english. There is a complete french edition on amazon as far as i know.

But yeah, if you don't want to bother with the books, I agree with the previous posters that you're not losing much by not playing through the first game. (E.g., the plot buildup from the first to the second is not as "important" as, say, from one part of Mass Effect to another). The choices in the first game also do not alter the story much, apart from some dialogue.