The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past Expansion Revealed at Gamescom ONL 2026
CD Projekt Red closed out gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 with a teaser trailer and new details about Songs of the Past, a story expansion for The Witcher 3 set in a new realm called Letten and slated to launch next year.
Geralt Closes the Show
Twelve years is a long time to wait for more Witcher 3. CD Projekt Red made sure the wait felt worthwhile when Geralt of Rivia helped close out gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 on August 25, with a teaser trailer and on-stage presentation for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past. The expansion is headed our way next year, and while the studio was careful not to show too much, what it did reveal was enough to get longtime fans talking.
Level design lead Miles Tost took the ONL stage to put a human face on the project and explain how it came together. “It’s super cool,” he said with a laugh. “We had this idea for one more story with Geralt for a while, but we couldn’t quite figure out how to fit it into our busy schedules. Luckily, our friends from Fool’s Theory came around, and they hired a bunch of old veteran Witcher 3 developers — including my mentor, Peter Gelenscer — and here we are today.” The partnership with Fool’s Theory appears to have been the practical piece that finally made Songs of the Past possible.
A New Land, A Familiar Face
The expansion takes Geralt somewhere he has never been: Letten, a realm that looks deceptively peaceful. The official description released alongside the reveal paints the picture. “This idyllic land is rich in rural tradition and folklore, and its people enjoy a fulfilling life of bountiful harvests and lavish festivals. But a dark secret lurks just beneath the surface, and Geralt must overcome never-before-seen foes as he fights to overcome its long-dormant evil.”
The teaser trailer offers glimpses of moonlit skies and sun-drenched fields that match that description, though the mood shifts quickly. Geralt is first seen approaching a tree hung with lanterns, then dancing in a firelit camp with a partner who may or may not actually be present. A whispering villain threads through the whole thing. Standard Witcher atmosphere, executed well.
Fans of the books and earlier games will find plenty to theorize about in the months ahead, given that CD Projekt Red is still holding most of its cards.
That Chain Weapon
The detail that generated the most immediate buzz from the trailer was not the new realm or the mystery villain. It was the weapon. Toward the end of the footage, Geralt is shown using a chain to grapple an enemy before decapitating them. The sequence is brief — just a few seconds — but it is striking. As reported by IGN, the move looks like it could have come straight from Mortal Kombat’s Scorpion, and the comparison is hard to shake once you have seen it. How exactly a chain fits into Geralt’s toolkit alongside his swords and Signs remains to be seen, but it clearly has a place in what CD Projekt Red is building.
Where Things Stand
Songs of the Past is now available to wishlist, which CD Projekt Red confirmed during the ONL presentation. A release window of next year has been stated, though no specific date has been announced. The expansion represents the studio returning to The Witcher 3 roughly a decade after the Blood and Wine DLC wrapped up what most fans considered the definitive Geralt story.
Blood and Wine set an extremely high bar for what a Witcher expansion could be. Songs of the Past, with its new realm, its mystery antagonist, its veteran development team, and a chain weapon nobody saw coming, at least seems to understand the assignment.
What is The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past?
Songs of the Past is a new story expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It takes Geralt to a new realm called Letten and is being developed with support from Fool's Theory, a studio that hired several veteran Witcher 3 developers. It is planned for release in 2027.
What new gameplay features are shown in the Songs of the Past trailer?
The teaser trailer revealed a chain weapon that allows Geralt to grapple enemies, a mechanic that looks reminiscent of Mortal Kombat's Scorpion. The expansion will also introduce never-before-seen foes and take place in the new land of Letten.
Who is developing The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past?
CD Projekt Red is behind the expansion, with level design lead Miles Tost confirmed to be involved. Tost mentioned on the gamescom ONL stage that Fool's Theory, a partner studio, brought in a number of veteran Witcher 3 developers to help make it happen.
Can I wishlist The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past?
Yes. CD Projekt Red announced during the gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 presentation that Songs of the Past is now available to wishlist ahead of its eventual release.