While Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski used that term to describe the expansion, he offered clarification on a financial earnings call. “First and foremost, we really wanted to deliver a great experience to the fans – a really cool expansion that’s going to make people happy that they can come back to The Witcher 3 setting. But of course, indirectly, yes, it is a reminder [about the franchise]. It is, in a way, a prologue, although it’s not a prologue in a verbatim way in [that] it’s a prologue for the actual Witcher 4.”

In short, consider it as more of a stopgap that should reignite interest in the franchise before the new trilogy with Ciri begins. “Yes, you can look at it in a way [that] it’s a way to maintain certain chatter on The Witcher 3, but all of those are additional side effects. The core thing from our perspective is really delivering a high-quality, fun experience to the existing fans of The Witcher.”

But when can we expect the sequel? Nowakowski wouldn’t offer any details on release dates or discuss the impact of Songs of the Past on The Witcher 4. Regarding the expansion’s price, he replied, “We are going to reveal that when the right [time] comes.”

There will be a reveal at Gamescom in August, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s hands-on for attendees. “I cannot really talk through the details, but what I would suggest is that historically when we were showing Witcher games, we were typically doing a guided demo kind of experience, so probably you should be thinking more along those lines rather than a hands-on experience,” said Nowakowski.

While an appearance on Gamescom Opening Night Live seems more or less a given, it’s unknown whether this “guided demo” – if it indeed happens – will be present. CD Projekt RED could present a cinematic teaser trailer and then present a guided walkthrough of sorts while the trade fair is ongoing. At this point, it’s unknown, but the company is set on showing more.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and has been described as similar in scope to Blood and Wine. There were plans to release it this year, but CD Projekt ultimately decided on 2027 to ensure the best experience for players.

Which would make the expansion a prime candidate for a reveal at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Of course, we wouldn’t put it past CD Projekt RED to have even more details when the trade fair opens to the public. Maybe even some hands-on gameplay for attendees.

Co-developed by Fool’s Theory, which is also working on The Witcher Remake, Songs of the Past promises to be a “fresh adventure” for long-time fans and a “first encounter” for new players, especially if they know nothing about the universe. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues to sell gangbusters, recently crossing 65 million units sold, so it seems a given that the expansion will attract plenty of newcomers.

That would serve as a great way to set up Ciri’s journey in The Witcher 4. Perhaps a concrete release date for Songs of the Past will provide some clues on when the next mainline title could launch. As always, we’ll need to wait, but check out the updated PC requirements in the meantime.