First announced in May, CD Projekt Red caught everyone off guard by announcing a new story expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, an 11-year-old title. It’s rare to get support for a title this old, let alone a whole new expansion. With the first details shown at Gamescom, impressions were quite positive and promising.
At Tokyo Game Show 2026, we joined CDPR for a hands-off presentation that lasted nearly an hour and took us through a mission to solve Dandelion’s disappearance. Although we didn’t get to play hands-on, a CDPR representative played the game live while another walked us through the on-screen action.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past Hands-off Preview
The preview opens as Geralt sets off for Dandelion’s estate, and we immediately see the visual uplift of the upcoming Remastered version. The graphics look noticeably polished, cleaner, and much smoother than before.
After a brief discussion with Dandelion’s grandmother, we meet a new character in Lilla: Dandelion’s cousin, who becomes our main companion on this quest and possibly even a romance option. Geralt also uncovers visions tied to a cursed well and the aristocratic family’s dark secrets.
Set in the town of Letten, Dandelion’s hometown and a pastoral countryside rich with festivals and folklore, the quest line unfolds as Lilla signals that the town may hold a sinister secret in the Garden of Thorns, haunted by legends of a mad ruler and a dark Witch. Initially dismissed as nothing serious, Dandelion’s disappearance now seems more serious, and the pair set off to find the mysterious garden.
Upon arriving at the entrance to the Garden of Thorns, Geralt has a choice to either find another way to open the gate or, as shown during the preview, brute-force our way in. It’s great to see multiple ways to approach a problem, although we don’t yet know how deeply integrated this is into the game.
Of course, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past not only brings new story threads but new combat mechanics as well. During the presentation, we were introduced to a new silver chain weapon that lets Geralt drag enemies closer from range, like a grappling hook of sorts. Some enemies also have defensive postures, and the silver chain also lets you open them up to attacks.
Combat in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past felt smoother and more reactive this time around. Dodging looked pixel-perfect, and hits looked crunchier, making combat far more engaging with better camera controls.
One new enemy was called a Thornbloom, which are enormous flowers that can summon bursting bulbs in an area. Another enemy was the Swarmion, enemies that have a barrier made up of hornets that can attack Geralt repeatedly. During the demo, they came in packs, and timing attacks and dodges were integral to survival, along with liberal use of the silver chain, as you can even aim it at which body part you want to hit.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past preview culminated in a boss fight against the Slumbering Knight armed with a rapier and a plant-like appendage that served as a sort of bludgeon. This enemy tested Geralt, requiring all of the new techniques learned to be used in creative ways.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past seems to be another adventure fans of the game will want to dive into, and despite a relatively short showing, the expansion looks to put a focus on Geralt and his relationship with Dandelion rather than a problem of a bigger scale.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is set to release on September 29, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC.
The Songs of the Past Expansion is scheduled for release in 2027.
