At Gamescom 2026, Kotaku was granted exclusive access to a behind-the-scenes demo of “The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past,” a surprise new expansion that sees Geralt of Rivia picking up his sword once again. Arriving alongside September’s free remastered upgrade, which enhances combat and visuals, this expansion tells a brand-new story.
A Familiar Hero, A New Adventure
The expansion takes place on Letten, a secluded island blending Polish and English landscapes. This idyllic setting quickly reveals a darker side, typical of The Witcher’s world.
A Hangover and a Lute
As Geralt awakens after a Midsommar-esque festival, he looks worse for wear, sporting comically drab robes instead of his usual armor. He’s swapped monster slaying for mead, but the tranquility is short-lived. The island groans with hangovers, and the sound of Dandelion’s lute draws Geralt to a brawl. After retrieving the instrument from a drunken thief, Geralt heads towards a nearby village.
Roach Rides Again
In the bustling village square, Geralt is greeted by his trusty steed, Roach. The demo showcased that Roach isn’t the only animal Geralt can interact with, as he pets a friendly dog. Despite the lively atmosphere, Dandelion is nowhere to be found.
A Family Reunion and Haunting Visions
To find his friend, Geralt follows the road to Dandelion’s family manor, meeting Lilla, a key companion throughout the expansion. During a tense dinner, Geralt mentions haunting visions of a place called the “Garden of Thorns,” unsettling the matriarch. Something is amiss in this seemingly idyllic village.
Into the Forest
Undeterred, Lilla joins Geralt, and their quest begins. They ride into the forest under a full moon, where Letten’s countryside takes an eerie turn. They reach the entrance to the legendary Garden of Thorns, where deer carcasses lie drained at the roots of bloodthirsty flora.
A Gruesome Discovery
Before they can enter, branches seal their escape, dragging Lilla into darkness. Geralt fights through new enemy types, showcasing the remastered combat. He faces a giant centipede, using Witcher signs to hold it in place before carving it up with smooth slashes.
New Enemies, New Animations
He then encounters sentient mandrakes and Swarmions – reanimated cadavers enveloped in buzzing hornets. To deal with the Swarmions, Geralt unleashes his new weapon: the Chain, previously seen only in cutscenes. This steel-chained link decapitates the cadavers in a torrent of blood, promising a slew of gruesome new executions.
The Truth Unveiled
Deeper in the forest, Geralt uncovers the truth: Dandelion’s uncle, Humbert, is the “mad count” who fell in love with a witch. When villagers harmed her, Humbert slew them and cast their bodies into the well, birthing the Garden of Thorns.
A Mad Count and a Cursed Well
Reuniting deep within the forest, Geralt and Lilla find the cursed well, where a mossy, overgrown corpse with branches protruding lies – Humbert. The seven-foot-tall figure rises ominously, offering Lilla a flower before entangling Geralt in vines, initiating a dramatic boss fight.
Dynamic Combat
In combat, Humbert dynamically shifts his anatomy, morphing his arm into a shield and extending thorned tendrils. He also summons Swarmions, forcing Geralt to use his agility. The demo showcased parries, magic, and dodges, highlighting the influence of modern action games on the remastered combat system.
A Familiar Tune
“Songs of the Past” plays a familiar tune in this impressive showing. Video games have changed greatly since “The Witcher 3” first hit consoles and PC, and this DLC looks to do enough to paper over the cracks in the original. At the same time, this demo only confirms that CDPR has made the right decision in opting to abandon its custom Red engine for the upcoming sequel; low-resolution textures and so-so draw distances betray the Red engine’s underlying age, with the updated lighting tech and mechanical polish only going so far to improve what is undoubtedly creaky tech.
The new combat, however, looks to fare better, and I’m told that the game’s NPC routines have been dramatically upgraded, too, with the newly improved AI aiming to make towns feel genuinely alive as villagers dynamically go about their days. All in all, it’s an impressive – if not groundbreaking – showing for “Songs of the Past,” with this enticing-looking expansion undoubtedly playing the hits. “Songs For The Past” then, is shaping up to be more of the same – a comforting balm during turbulent times. Given the quality of “The Witcher 3”, many fans will undoubtedly be thrilled simply to join The Wither for one last ride. Yet in an already packed-looking 2027, time will tell whether the masses opt to saddle up for another familiar nostalgic outing, or an adventure in Albion or The Everywhen instead.
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