Witcher 3: Songs of the Past Won't Require Other DLC

CD Projekt Red confirms you can jump into The Witcher 3's new expansion Songs of the Past right after the main story, no need to finish Hearts of Stone or Blood and Wine first.

Ever worried you'd have to grind through every Witcher 3 expansion before touching the new one? Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Fool's Theory creative vision director Karolina Kuzia-Rokosz confirmed in a VGC interview that Songs of the Past won't force you to complete Hearts of Stone or Blood and Wine first. "People will be able to start Songs of the Past immediately after finishing the main story," she says. "So, you do not have to finish the expansions."

That's right – you can jump straight into the new content as soon as you roll credits on the base game. But don't worry, your previous choices still matter. Kuzia-Rokosz explains that the game will continue the story "depending on whether the player has finished the second expansion or not. We carry that in the story, in dialogue, consequences, and so on." So if you have played Blood and Wine, you'll see those events reflected; if not, the narrative adapts. Either way, you're not locked out.

Timeline-wise, the expansions take place before Songs of the Past. The story picks up with Geralt wanting to retire, but his best friend asks him for one last favor. That sets the stage for the new adventure, and it's designed to work around your personal journey. "We continue with the story that Geralt really wanted to retire, but then he cannot because his best friend asks him for this one last favor to accompany him," she adds.

For those with a serious case of FOMO, this is fantastic news. You won't miss out on anything major if you haven't finished the other DLC – the game will simply acknowledge your progress and adjust accordingly. It also means you can take your time with the massive amount of content The Witcher 3 already offers. According to How Long To Beat, Blood and Wine alone takes about 27 hours on average, and over 40 if you're a completionist. That's a lot of monster hunting.

Songs of the Past is set to release sometime next year, though CD Projekt Red has only given a 2027 launch window. Fingers crossed it arrives sooner rather than later. With the remastered version now available, there's no better time to dive back into the world of the White Wolf – or start fresh if you're one of the few who hasn't experienced it yet.

So, whether you've already conquered the expansions or are just finishing the main story, you'll be able to jump into Songs of the Past without missing a beat. What do you think? Will you be picking this up when it launches?