Geralt Rides Again — The Witcher 3's Third Expansion Is Real
On May 27, 2026, CD Projekt RED officially confirmed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past, the third major expansion for the decade-old RPG landmark. Slated for 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the expansion is being co-developed with Fool's Theory — the Polish studio founded by former CDPR veterans.
The official announcement came via the Witcher X account, where CDPR confirmed in a characteristically cryptic post:
""Medallion's humming… that can only mean one thing! It's time to announce The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past! This brand new expansion will take you to the Path with Geralt of Rivia once more." — @thewitcher, May 27, 2026
The reveal key art shows Geralt drawing a sword — a fourth blade alongside his usual steel and silver — while a towering tree-like entity looms behind him.
🎬 Official Trailer
At a Glance — Key Details
| Detail | Info | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past | |
| Type | Paid expansion (DLC) | |
| Release Window | 2027 (exact date TBA) | |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PC |
| Not available on | Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, Xbox One | |
| Developer | CD Projekt RED + Fool's Theory | |
| Price | TBA | |
| Next reveal | Late Summer 2026 |
System requirement update incoming: CDPR has confirmed that PC minimum requirements will be updated alongside the expansion. HDDs will no longer be supported — SSDs become mandatory. The game will also move to DirectX 12 exclusively. You can still revert to an older version if needed, but future updates will not apply.
How the Red Launcher Leak Forced CDPR's Hand
The announcement was originally planned for the REDstreams broadcast on May 28, timed to coincide with the Blood and Wine 10th anniversary. However, screenshots of "Songs of the Past" began circulating after they appeared in CD Projekt's own Red Launcher client — apparently uploaded ahead of schedule.
Rather than let speculation run wild, CDPR chose to get ahead of the story and announced the expansion themselves, about 24 hours early. Their statement on X was refreshingly self-aware:
""We originally planned to make this big reveal during our REDstreams tomorrow, but let's say we found something we didn't yet expect on RED Launcher." — @thewitcher
On the same morning, CD Projekt S.A. had also quietly filed a trademark for "Songs of the Past" with the EUIPO (trademark number 019371013), covering game software, merchandise, and online services — a final clue that had sharp-eyed industry watchers already anticipating an imminent announcement.
What Could Songs of the Past Be About?
CDPR has kept the story details firmly under wraps. The full information drop is scheduled for late summer 2026. That said, months of leaks and insider reports offer some compelling threads.
Key Rumors and Expectations
| Element | Source / Rationale |
|---|---|
| Setting: Zerrikania | Multiple Polish insiders; unexplored desert region in Witcher lore |
| Ciri becoming a Witcher | Witcher 4 centers on Ciri — a bridge story makes narrative sense |
| Geralt's "last ride" tone | "Songs of the Past" implies reflection and closure |
| Prequel elements | Title hints at the past; could explore Geralt's earlier contracts |
The title itself is evocative — Blood and Wine sent Geralt to the sunny vineyards of Toussaint; Hearts of Stone gave him a supernatural contract with no easy exit. Songs of the Past suggests something more introspective, perhaps a story told through memory.
Spoiler planning tip: Songs of the Past is widely expected to bridge The Witcher 3 and The Witcher 4's narrative. If you're saving Witcher 4 for a completely fresh experience, you may want to plan your DLC play order accordingly.
📸 Screenshots
Updated PC System Requirements
With the new expansion, CDPR is taking the opportunity to modernize the game's technical baseline.
| Component | New Minimum Spec |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel Core i5 8400 |
| GPU | GTX 1660 or RX 5500 XT 8GB (6GB VRAM minimum) |
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Storage | 70 GB SSD (HDD support discontinued) |
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit |
| API | DirectX 12 only |
None of these specs are unreasonable for a 2027 title. The SSD requirement will likely be the most impactful change for players on older setups — but given the game is now over a decade old and still actively receiving content, the bump feels warranted.
About Fool's Theory
Fool's Theory is a Polish studio staffed largely by developers who previously worked at CD Projekt RED. Their 2024 RPG The Thaumaturge earned strong user approval on Steam despite mixed critical reviews, demonstrating the team's competence with narrative-driven, Eastern European RPG aesthetics.
The studio is currently juggling two CDPR collaborations simultaneously: Songs of the Past and the long-announced Witcher 1 Remake, which has been in quiet development since 2022. That dual workload — plus CDPR's own The Witcher 4 — signals an ambitious reinvigoration of the entire Witcher franchise in the next few years.
Community Reactions
The gaming internet essentially broke when the announcement went live.
""Wooo! What an announcement! Best game getting even more DLC. One last ride for one of my favourite games of all time!" — Reddit r/witcher user
""Blood and Wine was one of the greatest DLCs ever made. If Songs of the Past is even half as good, 2027 is going to be special." — Steam Community discussion
""CDPR accidentally leaking their own game is so on-brand. And honestly? The chaos made the announcement even more hype." — X user reaction
What's Next — REDstreams Today and Late Summer Reveal
The REDstreams Blood and Wine 10th Anniversary broadcast still goes ahead today (May 28) at 4:00 PM BST. While the Songs of the Past reveal has already happened, CDPR may share additional context or preview content during the stream.
The full details — story synopsis, scope, price — are scheduled for Late Summer 2026. For now, this is the beginning of what promises to be an extended hype cycle for one of the most beloved RPGs ever made.
Time to replay: A full Witcher 3 run (base + Hearts of Stone + Blood and Wine) takes 120–150 hours. Starting now gives you a comfortable runway before Songs of the Past arrives in 2027. The free next-gen upgrade on Steam/GOG/consoles is fully worth enabling.