The Witcher 3’s New Expansion Revives CD Projekt RED’s Value-First Approach

With The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past set to extend the RPG nearly a decade after its last expansion, CD Projekt RED’s earlier pricing philosophy offers a useful clue to what players may expect. The studio hasn’t announced a price, so its past approach is a point of reference, not a promise. Its Expansion Pass for The Witcher 3 was built around delivering substantial content at an affordable cost, tying the price to the scale of the additions rather than treating downloadable content as a small extra.

That distinction matters for an expansion arriving after such a long gap. Players will judge its price against both the amount of new material and the reputation established by the earlier releases. The studio’s own description of its previous goals gives some context for that judgment, but it can’t tell us what Songs of the Past will cost or how much it will contain.

Speaking to MP1st, global community and social media director Marcin Momot said the pass reflected the scale of the studio’s ambitions. The Witcher 3 was CD Projekt RED’s first open-world game, he explained, and a test of how its storytelling could work in a large, open setting. Expansions gave the studio room to continue that experiment beyond the main campaign, while asking players to pay for more of the world they’d already invested time in.

Momot also framed the pricing as a response to players’ trust. Buying the pass meant backing the studio to expand the game in a meaningful way, and CD Projekt RED wanted to reward that support. “Above all, we wanted to provide quality at a good value,” he said, adding that the team had aimed to make the expansions “a real value for money.” That’s a clear statement of intent, though the value of a new release will ultimately depend on what it delivers.

A high bar set by two expansions

The studio’s record gives that promise weight. Hearts of Stone built its story around Olgierd von Everec and Gaunter O’Dimm, while Blood and Wine added the region of Toussaint, new activities and a story of its own. Each took a different route to extending the game: one centered on a focused story, the other on a distinct setting and a broader set of things to do.

Both are often cited among gaming’s standout expansions. That reputation raises expectations for Songs of the Past, but it also makes direct comparisons difficult: a returning character and a story that promises closure may offer a different kind of value from a new region or a large collection of activities. More content isn’t the only measure. How well the new chapter fits the existing story will matter, too.

CD Projekt RED has already returned to the game with a free Remastered update. That update gave players a reason to revisit the RPG, but it’s separate from the paid expansion and doesn’t set expectations for its price. Songs of the Past marks the first new expansion since Blood and Wine launched in 2016, and its reveal at Gamescom drew 900,000 wishlists. The response points to substantial interest. A wishlist, though, is a signal of attention, not a guarantee of a purchase.

Dandelion returns in 2027

The expansion is scheduled for 2027 on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. CD Projekt RED says the story will focus on Dandelion and bring closure to his relationship with Geralt. A release date and price remain unknown. The announced focus gives the expansion a clear narrative hook, while leaving players without the practical details they’ll need to decide when and whether to buy it.

Players who haven’t finished Blood and Wine may want to do so before starting the new chapter: CD Projekt RED says the expansion can vary depending on whether they complete it first. That detail gives the earlier expansion a direct connection to the new story and could make the order of play meaningful. If you’re returning after years away, the sequence may affect how the new material lands.

What the long gap means for expectations

This is more significant than it looks: Songs of the Past isn’t just another chance to revisit a familiar game. Its stated aim of bringing closure to Dandelion and Geralt’s relationship makes it a continuation with a particular emotional job to do. (And this is the part most people overlook.) Players may care as much about whether that ending feels earned as they do about the number of hours or activities the expansion adds.

Here’s the thing: CD Projekt RED’s earlier pricing philosophy can help frame the question, but it can’t answer it. The studio has said it wanted quality at a good value when it sold the previous expansions. Whether the new release meets that standard will depend on its final price, scope and execution, none of which have been announced here. Until those details arrive, the past is a useful benchmark—and an unusually high bar.

A story about old friendships, and the weight they carry.

That said, the long interval may also shape the audience. Some players will arrive with Blood and Wine fresh in mind; others may need a refresher on the characters and the choices that led there. The reported differences based on completion order give returning players a concrete reason to revisit the earlier chapter, while the promised closure gives the new one a role beyond simply adding more content. For a series with an established ending, that’s a delicate promise to make—and one the finished expansion will have to earn.