CD Projekt confirmed a new Witcher 3 expansion in May 2026. Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski drew a hard line: this is not DLC. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz put its scope between Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine — closer to the latter. Here's what "proper big" actually means for returning players and what the studio's financial report revealed about the road ahead.
CD Projekt confirmed The Witcher 3's next expansion, Songs of the Past, during its Q1 2026 financial report. Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski emphasized this is not DLC. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz described its scope as "closer to Blood and Wine" — the studio's largest expansion to date. For players, that signals a campaign likely in the 15–20 hour range, a new region with its own narrative arc, and a deliberate return to the expansion model that defined The Witcher 3's post-launch legacy.
The Announcement: What CD Projekt Actually Said — and What It Leaked
The confirmation arrived one day earlier than CD Projekt planned. The studio accidentally published Songs of the Past on its own storefront before the official reveal during the Q1 2026 financial presentation. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz delivered the prepared announcement during the pre-recorded commentary as if nothing had leaked — no acknowledgment of the mishap, just the facts: a new expansion for The Witcher 3 is in active development, titled Songs of the Past, and it is "proper big."
The phrase comes directly from the financial call. Nielubowicz compared its scope to Blood and Wine, the 2016 expansion that added the duchy of Toussaint — a full new map, a 15–20 hour main quest, new Gwent cards, mutations, and a level cap increase. Blood and Wine won multiple Game of the Year nods for its expansion category. That is the bar CD Projekt set for itself.
During the Q&A portion, co-CEO Michał Nowakowski made a deliberate distinction: this is an expansion, not DLC. That distinction matters for player expectations. DLC in The Witcher 3's ecosystem included smaller add-ons like alternative outfits, the New Game+ mode, and the Hearts of Stone expansion — which, while narratively dense, ran about 10 hours and used the existing map. An expansion, in CD Projekt's terminology, means a standalone campaign with new geography, new mechanics, and a larger team commitment.
Nowakowski also confirmed "some other content currently at an advanced production phase," expected later in 2026. He did not specify whether that content belongs to The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, or the upcoming Witcher 4 (currently in pre-production under the codename Polaris). The studio has been clear that Cyberpunk 2077 has no additional expansions planned. The "other content" is a separate thread — one that could surface before Songs of the Past ships.
Inference: Based on CD Projekt's historical release cadence — Blood and Wine shipped 10 months after Hearts of Stone — a late 2026 or early 2027 release window is plausible, but no official date has been given.
Why "Proper Big" Matters — Scope Comparison with Blood and Wine
The comparison to Blood and Wine is not a marketing throwaway. It anchors player expectations to a specific, verifiable benchmark.
| Metric | Hearts of Stone (2015) | Blood and Wine (2016) | Songs of the Past (2026, reported) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Map scope | Existing regions + new locations | Entirely new duchy (Toussaint) | New region (unconfirmed size, but "closer to B&W") |
| Main quest length | ~10 hours | ~15–20 hours | Likely 15–20 hours (inference based on comparison) |
| New mechanics | Runewright, new gear sets | Mutations, Gwent Skellige deck, Corvo Bianco vineyard | Unconfirmed — but B&W-level scope implies new systems |
| Level cap increase | No | Yes (70 → 100) | Unconfirmed |
| CD Projekt classification | Expansion | Expansion | Expansion (explicitly not DLC) |
The "proper big" framing directly addresses a concern among players who watched CD Projekt pour resources into Cyberpunk 2077's redemption arc (Patch 2.0, Phantom Liberty) and then pivot to Witcher 4 pre-production. The question was: does the studio still allocate the talent and budget to make a Witcher 3 expansion that rivals its best work? The Blood and Wine comparison is the answer.
Blood and Wine sold over 10 million units. CD Projekt is not aiming smaller. That is the only reading of the evidence.
Expansion vs DLC: Why Nowakowski Made the Distinction Explicit
During the financial Q&A, a question came in about whether Songs of the Past signals a shift in CD Projekt's post-launch strategy — specifically, whether it opens the door for more Witcher 3 content beyond this release. Nowakowski's response was surgical: this is an expansion, singular, not a DLC pipeline.
The distinction is not semantic. CD Projekt has a documented internal taxonomy:
- DLC: smaller content drops, often free or low-cost, that extend the existing game without requiring a new narrative frame. Examples: the Temerian armor set, the New Game+ update, the photo mode.
- Expansion: a paid, standalone content campaign with its own geography, story arc, mechanical additions, and production timeline. Examples: Hearts of Stone, Blood and Wine, Phantom Liberty.
By explicitly labeling Songs of the Past an expansion and not a DLC, Nowakowski preempted two misunderstandings. First, players should not expect a steady stream of small Witcher 3 drops — this is a single, large package. Second, the pricing and scope will mirror the premium expansion model, not the smaller add-on pricing. (No price was announced in the report.)
(CD Projekt's storefront leak may have accelerated the announcement, but it did not change the product. The expansion was always going to be revealed during the financial report. The leak just broke the embargo.)
This also closes the door on any expectation that Witcher 3 would receive the "live service" treatment. CD Projekt has explicitly said it has "no plans for additional DLCs or expansions" for Cyberpunk 2077. The Witcher 3 is getting one more expansion, not a seasons pass.
What This Means for Returning Players — and Where to Start
If you have not played The Witcher 3 since 2016 — or never finished it — the expansion announcement raises a practical question: do you need to replay the base game?
The answer depends on whether you still have a save file with a completed main campaign. Songs of the Past, like Blood and Wine before it, will almost certainly require a minimum level (likely 50–70, based on precedent) and a completed main quest. CD Projekt has historically offered a "ready-made" level-scaled build for players who want to jump straight into an expansion without replaying 60 hours of content.
For new players, the base game — now available in the Complete Edition that includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine — is the prerequisite. The expansion's narrative may tie into events from both the main campaign and the existing expansions, though no story details have been released.
Decision Archaeology: Which Expansion Should You Play First?
If you are returning and unsure where to spend your time:
- Play Blood and Wine first if you want to understand the scope benchmark for Songs of the Past. It is CD Projekt's best expansion and the direct comparison point.
- Play Hearts of Stone first if you prefer tighter, character-driven stories over open-world exploration. It is shorter but narratively denser.
- Skip both and go straight to Songs of the Past only if you are time-limited and willing to accept references to earlier events without context.
The winner: Blood and Wine. It is the closest reference frame. Play it, then decide if you want more.
The Road Ahead: Advanced Production and the 2026 Pipeline
Nowakowski confirmed during the call that "some other content" is in an advanced production phase, expected in 2026. He did not attach it to a specific game. Industry observers have pointed to several possibilities:
- A native version of The Witcher 3 for the Nintendo Switch 2 (CD Projekt has not confirmed this)
- Additional quality-of-life patches for the Witcher 3 next-gen update (speculative)
- Pre-production assets for Witcher 4 that are advanced enough to be called "content" (unlikely, given CD Projekt's usual separation of pre-production from shipable content)
Register break: none of this is confirmed. If you see a headline claiming "CD Projekt announces secret Witcher game," check whether it came from the financial report or a separate press release. The report only said "content." Not "game." Not "Witcher." Content.
The Q1 2026 financial report also noted that CD Projekt's overall revenue was driven by continued sales of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and the Witcher 3 Complete Edition. The decision to invest in a new Witcher 3 expansion is a direct bet on that player base — millions of players who still own the game and return for major content drops. The expansion is not a side project; it is a commercial strategy rooted in data the studio has about its own retention curves.
No release window beyond "2026 or later" has been given. CD Projekt's history suggests a 10–14 month development cycle for expansions of this scale after the official announcement. The leak pushed the announcement forward by one day. It did not push the release date forward.
Songs of the Past. Blood and Wine scope. Not DLC. Advanced production on other content. No price. No date. One clear signal: CD Projekt believes the Witcher 3 audience is still large enough to warrant the investment. The studio's financial report data supports that belief. The rest is waiting.
Wait, then play.
FAQ: What Players Actually Ask About Songs of the Past
Will Songs of the Past require the base game or the Complete Edition?
CD Projekt has not confirmed requirements, but based on precedent (Blood and Wine required the base game and a minimum level of 34), Songs of the Past will almost certainly require The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The Complete Edition includes all existing expansions and is the recommended entry point for new or returning players.
Is Songs of the Past a next-gen exclusive?
No confirmation has been given. However, the
