The Witcher 3: What do we know about the Songs of the Past DLC?

When The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released in 2015, it instantly earned its place in gaming history, becoming the best RPG of all time for millions of players. At the time, CD Projekt RED showed the entire gaming industry exactly what high-quality additional content should look like.

The first expansion, Hearts of Stone, offered a chilling, intimate story with an unforgettable villain, while the massive Blood and Wine expansion took us to sunny Toussaint, delivered content on the scale of a whole new game, and gave Geralt a well-deserved retirement. Both expansions set the bar so high that they are still considered the gold standard today.

I have the best memories of the third installment myself. I spent over 500 hours in its world. And that’s not even counting the time spent playing Gwent. Until this year's Witcher festival, Con Morhen, I thought that was a lot, but friends convinced me over a pint of mead that 500 hours in Wild Hunt is just a pathetic start. 🙂

If you thought the story of The Witcher game had finally concluded, CD Projekt is here to prove you wrong. The Polish gaming giant has officially confirmed that it is working on a massive third expansion for its masterpiece, titled Songs of the Past. This news hit the gaming community like a tsunami.

Official numbers confirm this is no small add-on. A huge team is working on the project, with the original creators maintaining creative oversight.

“I can reveal that the expansion is currently in an advanced stage of development,” said CD Projekt joint CEO Michał Nowakowski during an investor meeting. “Approximately 190 developers, most of whom come from our trusted partners at Fool’s Theory, are collaborating on the project with our team. CD Projekt RED is also providing creative oversight to ensure the quality of the Witcher experience is maintained.”

Why is CD Projekt releasing a new DLC after so long?

Releasing a new expansion for a ten-year-old game doesn't happen every day. Does it make sense? Given that the third game has sold over 60 million copies, absolutely! This is something no fan will want to miss. Furthermore, the new expansion will reignite sales for the third game, which has also received a beautiful next-gen update in the meantime.

Behind the attempt to pull Wild Hunt out of the gaming graveyard is likely an effort to align all story arcs to a point where they can connect to the already announced fourth installment. And let's not forget that a remake of the first game is also in the works. It’s clear that The Witcher will be everywhere again soon.

What do we know about Songs of the Past so far?

Where will the story take us? Fans are betting on Cidaris

Developers are refusing to talk about the story and locations for now. However, the gaming community has already started detailed analysis and research. According to the hottest rumors, everything points to Geralt heading to Cidaris. While we have to wait for official confirmation, we know from the book lore that Cidaris is a powerful coastal kingdom full of corsairs, pirates, and rugged ports. A new nautical aesthetic would suit the game perfectly.

The big return of Gwent and original voice acting

Fool's Theory is leaving nothing to chance. The expansion will feature top-tier official voice acting with the original voices we love so much. And what’s more – Gwent is officially returning to the game! The developers are promising brand-new decks and unique cards, which, if Cidaris is confirmed, could have a fantastic pirate theme. Get ready to spend a lot of time in taverns again.

When can we jump into the new adventure?

The release of this massive expansion is officially scheduled for 2027 on all current gaming platforms. However, the developers will make the wait easier – Michał Nowakowski confirmed that we will see a large batch of further details, first trailers, and specific gameplay footage later this year. We’ll see if the rumored Cidaris is confirmed in them!

Updated: The studio announced that the presentation of this expansion will take place during the gamescom Opening Night Live showcase, which will be held on August 25th of this year at 8:00 PM CET.