Eleven Years Later, Geralt Returns
On May 27, 2026, CD PROJEKT RED blindsided the gaming world with an announcement nobody expected: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past, the game's third expansion, is coming in 2027. The last major story DLC, Blood and Wine, arrived in 2016 — making this a return that fans waited over a decade for.
The reveal came a day early after key art leaked through CDPR's own RED Launcher. Rather than let speculation spiral, the studio posted the official announcement immediately on X:
""Medallion's humming… that can only mean one thing! It's time to announce The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past!" — CD PROJEKT RED official X
🎬 공식 트레일러
What We Know About Songs of the Past
| Detail | Info | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past | |
| Developer | CD PROJEKT RED + Fool's Theory (co-development) | |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PC |
| Release Window | 2027 | |
| Protagonist | Geralt of Rivia | |
| More Details | Late Summer 2026 showcase |
Fool's Theory is a Polish studio staffed by veterans who worked on The Witcher 3 during its original development. They are simultaneously developing a full remake of the original Witcher game. The co-development arrangement suggests tight creative alignment between the two teams.
Fool's Theory's most recent independent release was The Thaumaturge (2024), a narrative RPG set in early 20th century Warsaw. If you want a preview of their storytelling sensibility, it's worth a look.
Blood and Wine Scale Confirmed
During CD PROJEKT's May 29 earnings call, co-CEO Michał Nowakowski addressed the elephant in the room: how big is this expansion actually?
""When it comes to the scope, I'd say it's actually a bit closer to Blood and Wine, but this is super-subjective. It really depends on how you're going to play — what's your playthrough. But we're definitely making a proper big expansion, is the message I would send out there." — Michał Nowakowski, CDPR Co-CEO
Blood and Wine takes between 25 and 40 hours to complete, depending on playstyle. That would make Songs of the Past one of the largest pieces of DLC released for any single-player RPG in years.
The studio also confirmed that Songs of the Past will not be a literal story setup for The Witcher 4 — but will serve as a way to reimmerse fans in the franchise before the mainline sequel.
""First and foremost, we really wanted to deliver a great experience to the fans — a really cool expansion that's going to make people happy that they can come back to The Witcher 3 setting. Indirectly, yes, it is a reminder about the franchise. It is, in a way, a prologue, although it's not a prologue in a verbatim way." — Michał Nowakowski
📸 Screenshots
Why Now? The Strategic Logic
The Witcher 3 has sold over 60 million copies since its 2015 launch. A new expansion isn't just a fan service gesture — it's a calculated move with multiple strategic dimensions:
| Reason | Detail |
|---|---|
| Re-engagement play | Brings lapsed players back into the Witcher universe ahead of The Witcher 4 |
| Proven revenue base | 60M+ installed base guarantees an audience for paid expansion content |
| Fool's Theory synergy | The Witcher 1 remake team co-develops, building franchise-wide skills |
| Delay buffer | Songs of the Past fills 2027; The Witcher 4 can aim for 2028 without competing with itself |
CDPR initially planned to release the expansion in 2026 but held back. Per Nowakowski: "We decided, together with the development team, that the game will be launching in 2027 to achieve the best possible result from the consumer standpoint."
Story Speculation: Where Does Geralt Go?
CDPR has confirmed only that Geralt of Rivia returns as the protagonist. All story details are held for a late summer 2026 reveal — likely targeting Gamescom or a dedicated showcase.
Community speculation has already produced several leading theories:
- ▶Zerrikania: A desert region from the original Witcher novels never visited in the games. The name "Songs of the Past" could reference ancient lore tied to that land
- ▶A Geralt-only finale: Given that The Witcher 4 stars Ciri, this may be Geralt's definitive sendoff before the series pivots
- ▶Time-shifted events: Some leaks suggested returning to familiar Witcher 3 maps at a different point in the timeline — which would align with "Songs of the Past" thematically
Songs of the Past will not support PS4, Xbox One, or original Nintendo Switch. The required minimum PC specs have also been updated: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-8400, GTX 1660 or equivalent, 12 GB RAM, SSD required, Windows 11 minimum. Verify your setup before planning a 2027 playthrough.
Why This Matters
From a pure gaming history perspective, this announcement is unusual. Major story expansions for games that are over a decade old are essentially unheard of in the AAA space. Most studios move on after two years. CDPR is betting that the depth of the Witcher 3 audience — and the power of Geralt as a character — justifies returning.
The Fextralife breakdown of the announcement noted the cascading implications: if Songs of the Past launches in early-to-mid 2027, it's essentially impossible for The Witcher 4 to also launch in 2027. That pushes the mainline sequel to 2028 at the earliest, giving CDPR room to finish it properly without rushing.
Community Reaction
The announcement generated enormous response within hours.
""I genuinely teared up. Blood and Wine was already a perfect ending for Geralt and I was okay with that. Getting to go back one more time, with CDPR apparently going all-in on it, is more than I ever expected." — Reddit r/witcher
""This is the most unexpected gaming announcement of 2026. Everyone knew Witcher 4 was coming. Nobody expected a third Witcher 3 expansion 11 years after launch. CDPR really said 'hold on, not done yet.'" — Twitter/X community
""The moment they confirmed it's Geralt and not Ciri, I preordered sight unseen. Blood and Wine was the best RPG DLC of all time. I trust them." — Steam community forums
GamePeak will cover the full reveal in late summer 2026 when CD PROJEKT RED shares story and gameplay details.