CD PROJEKT RED is treating The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's next expansion as more than a late return to Geralt. Songs of the Past will not directly set up The Witcher 4, but the studio says it can be viewed as a loose prologue for where the series is heading next.
Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski discussed the expansion during CD PROJEKT RED's latest investor call, according to IGN. Asked how Songs of the Past fits into the franchise's future, he described the connection to The Witcher 4 as indirect.
"Of course, indirectly, yes, it is a reminder [of the franchise for fans]. It is, in a way, a prologue, although it's not a prologue in a verbatim way of [being] a prologue for the actual The Witcher 4. Yes, you can look at it as it's a way to maintain certain chatter on The Witcher 3. All of those are side effects, additional side effects. The core thing for us, from our perspective, is really delivering a high-quality, fun experience to the existing fans of The Witcher."
That wording keeps expectations in check. Songs of the Past is still a standalone The Witcher 3 expansion starring Geralt of Rivia, not a required opening chapter for Ciri's upcoming game. CD PROJEKT RED has already announced Songs of the Past for 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with Fool's Theory co-developing the expansion.
The timing gives the expansion a clear role in the series calendar. The Witcher 4 entered full production in late 2024, and CD PROJEKT RED has said more than 500 developers are now working on the game. Songs of the Past lets the studio return players to The Witcher 3 while the new Ciri-led saga remains without a release date.
Nowakowski also explained why Songs of the Past is coming in 2027 after earlier plans pointed to a 2026 launch. The studio and development team decided on the later window "to achieve the best possible result from the consumer standpoint," he said.
CD PROJEKT RED's original announcement confirmed that Songs of the Past will bring players back as Geralt for a new adventure. Story details, pricing and a narrower release window have not been shared yet, but the studio says more information will arrive in late summer 2026.
The investor comments also make a long-term point about the next trilogy. Nowakowski said it would be difficult for CD PROJEKT RED to add expansions to the upcoming Witcher trilogy while pursuing its plan for three new mainline games, which makes Songs of the Past look like a rare final detour through The Witcher 3 before the series moves on.