The Witcher 3 Is Getting a Third Expansion — 11 Years Later
On May 27, 2026, CD Projekt RED made one of the year's most unexpected gaming announcements.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a third expansion: Songs of the Past. Set to launch in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the expansion marks the return of Geralt of Rivia — a full decade after the story was thought to be complete.
Blood and Wine, the last expansion, shipped in May 2016. That means players will be returning to Geralt's world after an 11-year gap — the longest pause in The Witcher 3's expansion history.
""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." — CD Projekt RED
Overview
| Field | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past | |
| Type | Paid expansion (base game required) | |
| Developer | CD Projekt RED + Fool's Theory (co-dev) | |
| Release Window | 2027 | |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PC |
| Protagonist | Geralt of Rivia | |
| Further details | Late summer 2026 |
Developer: Who Is Fool's Theory?
The co-development credit is what makes this announcement genuinely exciting.
Fool's Theory is a Polish studio made up of industry veterans who worked directly on The Witcher 3. CD Projekt RED described them as "a team comprising industry veterans who worked on The Witcher 3." Their most recent credit is the 2024 RPG The Thaumaturge, which received strong reviews for its historical Warsaw setting and occult narrative.
This is not a generic outsourcing arrangement. The people who built The Witcher 3 are returning to build its conclusion — or at least the next chapter before The Witcher 4 takes over.
CD Projekt RED's Six-Year Roadmap
The Witcher Franchise Pipeline
CD Projekt RED has an ambitious slate ahead:
| Title | Protagonist | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Songs of the Past (W3 expansion) | Geralt | 2027 |
| The Witcher 4 | Ciri | 2027 or later |
| The Witcher 5 | TBD | TBD |
| The Witcher 6 | TBD | TBD |
The studio has cautioned fans not to expect The Witcher 4 before 2027 at the earliest. Songs of the Past may serve as a bridge — reintroducing the world and its lore to players before Ciri takes center stage in the next mainline entry.
Cyberpunk 2 Is Still Years Away
CD Projekt RED confirmed that no further DLC is coming for Cyberpunk 2077, and that Cyberpunk 2 won't arrive until at least 2030, according to co-CEO Michał Nowakowski. The studio is, however, presenting a Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 panel at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on July 3.
Platform Availability
| Platform | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam / GOG) | ✅ Confirmed | |
| PlayStation 5 | ✅ Confirmed | |
| Xbox Series X | S | ✅ Confirmed |
| PS4 / Xbox One | Unconfirmed | |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Unconfirmed |
Screenshots
The Rumors: A Desert Setting in Zerrikania?
The official announcement contains no story or setting details beyond Geralt's return. However, pre-announcement leaks and reports pointed to Zerrikania — a desert region in The Witcher's world that has been referenced extensively in lore but never depicted in the games — as the likely setting. One report described a "Dune-style" location.
Gamescom in late August seems like the likeliest venue for the full reveal, given CD Projekt RED's stated "late summer 2026" timeline for additional details.
The Witcher 3's Legacy: 60 Million Copies and Counting
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base game release | May 19, 2015 |
| Expansion 1: Hearts of Stone | October 2015 |
| Expansion 2: Blood and Wine | May 31, 2016 |
| Next-Gen Update | December 2022 |
| Expansion 3: Songs of the Past | 2027 (announced May 27, 2026) |
| Total copies sold | 60 million+ |
The Witcher 3 remains one of the highest-selling singleplayer RPGs ever made, making any expansion a day-one purchase for millions of existing owners. The installed base is enormous — and CD Projekt RED knows it.
Community Reaction
The gaming internet reacted immediately to the surprise announcement. On Reddit's r/thewitcher, within hours of the news breaking:
- ▶"Blood and Wine is one of the best pieces of DLC ever made — and now we're getting another?"
- ▶"Fool's Theory being involved is the best possible news. These people know the world."
- ▶"I genuinely didn't think this would ever happen. 2026 is wild."
The timing of the leak — from the RED Launcher rather than a planned reveal — added to the excitement, with many fans finding it more authentic than a polished marketing drop.
Buying Guide
Do You Own The Witcher 3?
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Never played | Buy The Witcher 3 Complete Edition (base + Hearts of Stone + Blood and Wine) |
| Own base game only | Add the expansion pass before Songs of the Past releases |
| Full owner | Sit back and wait — you're already set |
The Complete Edition regularly goes on sale for under $10 on Steam and GOG. With 150+ hours of content, now is the perfect time to work through the existing game before Songs of the Past launches in 2027.
GamePeak Verdict
Songs of the Past is the kind of announcement that doesn't happen anymore — a decade-old game returning with substantive new content built by the people who created it. CD Projekt RED and Fool's Theory have set expectations high. The 2027 release window means we're at least a year away from playing it, but the momentum behind the announcement is real.
More details arrive late summer 2026. Until then: replay the base game, finish Blood and Wine, and get ready.