CD Projekt Red Confirms Witcher 3 DLC Gameplay Reveal at Gamescom 2026

First Look at Songs of the Past Arrives at Gamescom 2026

Fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt finally have a concrete date to mark on their calendars. CD Projekt Red has officially confirmed that gameplay footage of the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion will be revealed during Gamescom 2026’s Opening Night Live ceremony. The showcase is scheduled for August 25, 2026, at 11:00 am PT / 2:00 pm ET / 8:00 pm CEST, according to the developer’s official announcement.

This marks the first time the studio has provided a specific window for the DLC’s debut, moving beyond the initial leak that tipped off the expansion’s existence earlier this year. The Opening Night Live slot is typically reserved for major titles and highly anticipated releases, signaling that CD Projekt Red views this addition as a centerpiece of its upcoming gaming lineup.

A close-up of a weathered game controller resting on a desk with a blurred background of a fantasy landscape, evoking an — Gamers await the first look at the new Witcher 3 expansion.

What We Know About the Expansion

Beyond the reveal window, CD Projekt Red has shared a few critical details about Songs of the Past. The studio confirmed that the scope of the new content will closely mirror that of the original Blood and Wine expansion. Blood and Wine was a massive undertaking, introducing the Toussaint region, over 30 hours of new main story content, and dozens of side quests, effectively serving as a grand finale to Geralt’s journey.

However, the technical requirements for this new chapter come with a notable shift in platform support. The developer confirmed that the expansion will drop support for Windows 10 and Xbox One. According to CD Projekt Red, the hardware specifications required to run the new content exceed the capabilities of last-generation hardware. This decision aligns with the studio’s broader strategy to optimize development resources for current-generation systems.

The expansion is currently expected to launch sometime in 2027, available for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. While no specific month has been named, the Gamescom reveal will likely provide a clearer timeline for the full release.

The Legacy of a Decade-Old Classic

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues to defy its age. Originally released in 2015, the game reached a significant milestone last year by surpassing 60 million copies sold across all platforms. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the depth of its storytelling, world-building, and combat systems, which have been praised by critics and players alike for over a decade.

The Blood and Wine expansion, released in 2016, was so critically acclaimed that it won Best RPG at The Game Awards, beating out full-priced standalone releases like Dark Souls 3 and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Matching or exceeding that level of quality with Songs of the Past sets a high bar for CD Projekt Red. Industry observers will be watching closely to see how the studio plans to expand upon the foundation laid by its predecessor.

A stylized map of a fictional medieval kingdom with glowing markers and ancient ruins, representing the vast new territo — The new expansion promises a region as rich as Toussaint.

What This Means for You

For players who have been waiting to return to the Continent, this announcement is a significant step forward. If you are currently on Windows 10 or Xbox One, you will need to upgrade your hardware to experience the new expansion. This is a common trend in the industry as developers push for more advanced graphics and performance on modern systems.

For those already on current-gen hardware, the Gamescom reveal will provide the first concrete look at what to expect. Given the scale of Blood and Wine, players can anticipate a substantial amount of new content, including a new region to explore, additional character arcs, and new gameplay mechanics. The reveal will also help clarify whether the DLC will tie directly into the narrative of the upcoming Witcher 4, which has been a topic of speculation among the fanbase.

How to Get It

To catch the first gameplay reveal, tune into Gamescom 2026’s Opening Night Live on August 25, 2026. The event will be streamed online, and CD Projekt Red’s official channels will likely provide additional coverage and behind-the-scenes content leading up to the showcase.

Once the expansion launches in 2027, it will be available for purchase on the Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, and Steam. Players who pre-order or purchase the base game on current-gen platforms should keep an eye out for bundle options that may include the DLC at a discounted rate.

As we approach the Gamescom reveal, the gaming community will be eager to see how CD Projekt Red plans to top one of the most successful expansions in RPG history. The August 25 showcase will be the first step in answering that question.

Source: Latest from Windows Central

Over to you: Will you be replaying The Witcher 3 for the new DLC, or are you saving your time for Witcher 4?