Official New Witcher 3 Release Coming Next Year Will Be a Must-Play Before Witcher 4

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a new expansion in 2027, and fans looking forward to the next numbered entry will definitely want to play “Songs of the Past,” as it will apparently serve as something of a prologue to The Witcher 4. It’s been more than 10 years since the release of The Witcher 3, but CD Projekt Red has kept the game alive thanks to multiple expansions. “Songs of the Past” will be the third expansion released for the game, following “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine.”

The Witcher 3‘s “Songs of the Past” will focus on Geralt, and the character will seemingly be reunited with Dandelion. While Ciri is set to take the focus in The Witcher 4, the expansion could serve as something of a swan song for the current protagonist. Little additional information is known about “Songs of the Past,” but CD Projekt Red has teased that more will be revealed over the summer.

The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past DLC Will Officially Be Unplayable for Millions of People

The recently announced Songs of the Past DLC for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt won’t be playable for a huge portion of the original game’s audience.

A Prologue for the Future of The Witcher

During an earnings call, CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michal Nowakowski offered some new information on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt‘s upcoming expansion “Songs of the Past.” Nowakowski was asked whether the expansion will serve as a prologue to The Witcher 4, and the answer may have led to more questions. The joint CEO said that “it is, in a way, a prologue, although it’s not a prologue in a verbatim way.” Rumors about a third expansion have been circulating for some time, leading to speculation about The Witcher 3 expansion’s connection to the sequel.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

Based on Nowakowski’s vague answer, it sounds like players shouldn’t expect that “Songs of the Past” will directly set up the next game. However, it could indirectly do so, establishing why Geralt is stepping out of the spotlight in The Witcher 4. Regardless, this should be a way to tide fans over until the next game. The Witcher 4 entered full production in late 2024, and that suggests it could be a while before the game is released. If the sequel doesn’t arrive until 2028 or later, “Songs of the Past” could give fans something substantial to play while they wait.

Unfortunately, not all fans of The Witcher 3 will be able to play the new expansion. “Songs of the Past” will not be released on PS4 or Xbox One, and will only arrive on modern platforms. Nintendo platforms also seem to be missing from the equation, but it’s possible a version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is being prepared for Switch 2. CD Projekt Red was one of the biggest early supporters of the system, with a port of Cyberpunk 2077 that received significant praise. A Nintendo Direct is rumored for June, and the publisher could be waiting to make an announcement until then.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

With so many dangling questions, CD Projekt Red clearly has fans interested in learning more about the new expansion. The Witcher 3 is widely regarded as one of the greatest video games ever made. Nothing will change that, but a great expansion could be the perfect way to move on to the next chapter in the series. CD Projekt Red has ambitious plans for the future: three Witcher games are planned in a six-year window. Fans have waited a long time for more Witcher content, and “Songs of the Past” seems to be a prologue for a bright new era, one way or another.