The Witcher 3's New Expansion Sets the Stage for The Witcher 4 With Geralt's Return

CD Projekt Red has revealed when you’ll get your first look at Songs of the Past, and all signs are pointing to a big expansion that will bridge the gap between Geralt’s story and The Witcher 4.

The Witcher 3 is getting a brand new expansion more than a decade after its original release, and it could change your perception of the future of the series. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Geralt of Rivia will return in a new story expansion called Songs of the Past, giving the iconic witcher one more adventure before the franchise moves forward. 

This isn’t just another next-gen update or a little nostalgia-based DLC; the studio is treating it like a full-blown expansion with a proper narrative. According to reports, it is being co-developed with Fool's Theory and is expected to act as the bridge between Geralt's journey and Ciri's leading role in The Witcher 4.

After months of speculation, CD Projekt Red has also confirmed exactly when you'll get your first look at the project. 

Songs of the Past will make its gameplay debut during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, marking the first major showcase since the expansion was announced back in May. At first glance, that might sound like a standard gameplay reveal, but the studio's marketing approach is telling. 

Instead of quietly posting gameplay online, CD Projekt Red is putting a 10-year-old game on one of the biggest stages in gaming, suggesting it believes this expansion deserves the same attention as a brand-new AAA release.

That decision has raised expectations, since Gamescom usually showcases major upcoming titles. If the studio were only showing a small DLC, it could have easily hosted its livestream or uploaded a trailer without making such a big event out of it. Instead, it is giving The Witcher 3 a prime spot during one of the industry's biggest showcases. 

That approach has fueled speculation that Songs of the Past will be much larger than many people originally expected. Many fans now believe the reveal will finally show how ambitious the expansion really is and whether it can meet the expectations surrounding Geralt's return.

The expansion is currently targeting a 2027 launch on PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC, giving the developers plenty of time to refine the experience. That longer timeline also suggests CD Projekt Red is taking its time with the project. 

Recent rumors have even claimed that the expansion could feel more like a standalone game than traditional downloadable content. If those reports are accurate, it could be one of the biggest RPG expansions in years.

According to CD Projekt Red co-CEO Michał Nowakowski, the team is aiming for an expansion that rivals the scale of Blood and Wine. 

That comparison immediately grabs attention because Blood and Wine delivered more than 30 hours of content, introduced a completely new region, and remains one of the highest-rated RPG expansions ever made. Matching that level of quality would mean Songs of the Past is far more than a brief return to Geralt's world. 

Another reason people are paying attention is Fool's Theory's involvement in the project. The studio is already working on the Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original The Witcher, but it also has several developers who worked on The Witcher 3 years ago. 

So a lot of the people who helped make Geralt’s most famous adventure are back with the show. Bringing those veteran developers back gives the expansion an extra layer of credibility and suggests CD Projekt Red wants Geralt's final outing to feel authentic.

The story itself is also expected to play a much bigger role than a typical side adventure. Reports claim Songs of the Past is being built specifically to connect the ending of The Witcher 3 with the beginning of The Witcher 4. Instead of simply sending Geralt on another monster contract, the expansion is expected to show how the world changes before Ciri takes center stage. 

Not everyone is completely convinced yet, though. Across online communities, some fans have voiced concerns that the expansion could end up being a short prologue designed mainly to build excitement for The Witcher 4. Those concerns are understandable because Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine set an incredibly high standard for expansions. 

Even so, several technical details suggest the project is much more ambitious than a small DLC. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that the expansion will increase the PC system requirements, drop Windows 10 support, and require players to install the game on an SSD. 

Making changes like that for a 2015 game would be difficult to justify if the expansion only added a few hours of content. 

Reports also claim more than 100 veteran developers from Fool's Theory are contributing to the project, reinforcing the idea that this is being treated as a major release. That level of investment would be difficult to justify for a small expansion, further suggesting CD Projekt Red has much bigger plans for Geralt's return.

The release window has also changed since the team first discussed the expansion internally. Earlier plans reportedly targeted a 2026 launch, but CD Projekt Red has since delayed the project until 2027. Delays are never great news, but the extra time for development should mean the team can fine-tune both the new content and the technical upgrades needed for modern hardware. 

It’s a lot of work to update a game that originally came out in 2015 for PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and current PC standards, so the extra time makes more sense. If the extra dev time results in a smoother and more polished experience, many players will probably consider the delay a fair trade-off.

The entire situation is unusual because The Witcher 3 will be around 12 years old when Songs of the Past finally launches. Most publishers would have moved on years ago or released a remaster instead of creating a brand-new story expansion. Instead, CD Projekt Red is taking a different approach and giving Geralt one last adventure instead of leaving the game behind. 

Everything currently points toward 2027 becoming a major year for The Witcher franchise. Players should expect the story directly leading into The Witcher 4, as well as Geralt’s return on PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC, using modern hardware. With the expansion acting as the link between two generations of the series, it could become one of the most important releases in the franchise's history.

If CD Projekt Red can deliver on the hype it has generated, Songs of the Past might further cement the legacy of The Witcher 3 and prove that a game released over a decade ago can still dominate conversations around RPGs.