Introduction

Since the announcement of the expansion "Songs of the Past" for The Witcher 3, fans have been eagerly waiting to see what this new content will bring. With a team larger than that of the original game, the expansion is facing high expectations.

Team size and development

CD Projekt Red has announced that around 190 developers are working on "Songs of the Past." That number is notable, especially since the original The Witcher 3 team averaged about 160 developers and grew to around 205 when Cyberpunk 2077 developers joined the team during that game’s launch.

The majority of the developers on the expansion come from Fool's Theory, the project’s co-developer. CD Projekt Red is also serving as the creative overseer to ensure the quality of the Witcher experience. CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski said the expansion is currently in an advanced stage of production.

Comparisons with earlier projects

The scale of the team for "Songs of the Past" is remarkable for an expansion to a game that is more than 11 years old. By comparison, the "Blood and Wine" expansion for The Witcher 3 was also considered an ambitious addition, and CD Projekt Red has said it wants the new content to match the quality and experience players expect from its earlier expansions.

Creative collaboration

Fool's Theory’s role is crucial to the development of this expansion. The team is largely made up of former CD Projekt Red developers, which means the creative vision and understanding of the franchise are closely aligned. There is still some uncertainty about how many people are actually working on the expansion at CD Projekt Red itself, but a recent report suggests that around 19 full-time staff are involved with "Songs of the Past" at CD Projekt Red, indicating a clear division of labor.

New location and expected gameplay

There is a possibility that the expansion will take place in a new region known as Cidaris, located next to the Temeria region. This location gives the developers a chance to take advantage of modern graphics capabilities without having to overhaul existing areas of the game. Players can therefore look forward to a new world to explore, while the story will likely focus on Geralt, unlike Ciri, who will take the lead in the upcoming The Witcher 4.

Minimum system requirements

CD Projekt Red has also significantly raised the minimum system requirements for The Witcher 3, suggesting that the expansion will deliver a real boost in visual quality. The expansion will no longer support HDDs or older Windows operating systems, with the exception of Windows 11.

Conclusion

With a team larger than the one behind the original game and significant creative collaboration between CD Projekt Red and Fool's Theory, "Songs of the Past" looks set to be an ambitious expansion. More details and updates on the expected content are likely to arrive ahead of release. Players are eager to see how CD Projekt Red will continue to expand this beloved franchise with new stories and reveals.