Ask a Witcher fan and they'll tell you: hope dies last. Rumors that CD Projekt Red might be preparing a substantial new expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have gone from quiet whispers to a steady drumbeat this winter, fed by analysts, Polish outlets and industry insiders. Put simply: there’s smoke — and several credible people are saying there may be fire.
The latest: who’s saying what
Two lines of reporting have driven the story. First, CD Projekt itself hinted in a late-2025 investor call that “there is a chance” unnamed new content could ship in the coming year, and that such a release might help the company meet performance targets tied to an employee incentive program. That brief, cautious comment has been amplified by market analysts and Polish gaming sites.
Analyst Mateusz Chrzanowski of Noble Securities told Eurogamer he’s “100 percent certain” CD Projekt will release “significant new content” in 2026, citing the incentive scheme and specific profit thresholds the studio needs to hit. Another insider, Borys Nieśpielak, originally put the idea into wider circulation last year and has since doubled down. IGN Poland, PlayStation Lifestyle, Wccftech and Eurogamer have all reported versions of the same tale: something more than a patch, possibly a paid add‑on, could arrive this year.
A more detailed rumor thread points to Fool’s Theory — the small studio CD Projekt hired to remake The Witcher 1 — as a likely partner or developer. That theory has a neat logic to it: CD Projekt is busy with The Witcher 4 and other long‑term projects, but Fool’s Theory already works with Witcher assets and talent, and could shoulder the workload without pulling internal staff from the next mainline game.
What might the expansion look like?
Speculation has coalesced around geography as much as authorship. Several outlets cite early tips that the add‑on could send players east, to Zerrikania — the hot, exotic desert nation referenced in Witcher lore. It would offer a striking contrast to the marshes of Velen or the vineyards of Toussaint, and it’s the sort of bold setting that could justify a paid expansion.
Other possibilities have been floated: a narrative detour focusing on a fan-favorite character (Yennefer? Geralt again?), a side story that bridges worldbuilding toward The Witcher 4, or something smaller but still revenue‑meaningful — enough, analysts argue, to move the needle on company earnings.
One widely circulated estimate from an analyst report even gave a potential window: May 2026. Take that with a grain of salt — analysts mix public data with sources and interpretation — but it’s the kind of concrete timing that fuels excitement.
Why now? The business case
The financial motive is central to many of the reports. CD Projekt’s incentive program requires cumulative net‑profit thresholds over multi‑year windows; meeting the first bracket reportedly still leaves the company short by hundreds of millions of złoty. Releasing a substantial Witcher 3 add‑on to the game’s existing install base — more than 60 million players across platforms — would be an efficient way to generate revenue without shipping a whole new triple‑A title.
Cyberpunk 2077’s continued sales success and surprising performance on Nintendo hardware shows the value of sustained support and ports. With the Switch line remaining a tempting platform for long‑tail sales, the economics start to make sense: an expansion could be profitable, fast.
That said, executing it is non‑trivial. Building something that stands up beside Hearts of Stone or Blood and Wine — both high bars — either means reconstituting veteran teams, investing heavily, or trusting an outside partner to deliver on scope and tone.
Reasons to be cautious
There are plenty of reasons to hesitate before penciling in a purchase. Geralt’s story felt complete by the end of Blood and Wine; a new chapter risks muddling the emotional arc unless it’s cleverly framed. If the expansion were large and narrative‑heavy it might step on the toes of The Witcher 4, which CD Projekt says won’t land before 2027. And if Fool’s Theory is involved, questions arise about whether a small studio can match the scale and polish players expect from Witcher expansions.
Also worth remembering: CD Projekt has announced a final update that will let console players more easily use mods, but that patch slipped into 2026. Timelines in game development change.
So, how likely is this?
Taken together — analyst conviction, repeated polish reporting, the investor call language and the clear business incentive — the rumor looks plausible. Whether it’s a full‑blown paid expansion the size of Blood and Wine, a smaller paid DLC, or a narratively focused bridge to The Witcher 4 remains the central unknown.
If you’re invested in the series, keep an eye on official channels. In the meantime, the possibility of a desert trek to Zerrikania, or a last hurrah for beloved characters, is enough to make the waiting room feel bearable.
If you care about platform availability, remember that past CD Projekt ports found surprising audiences on Nintendo hardware — something that matters for long‑term sales and may shape where any expansion launches. See how console forecasts are shifting in the market with Nintendo’s recent momentum noted by analysts. And for PC and handheld fans who live and breathe mods, recent improvements in handheld download and power management are nudging that scene forward too as devices get friendlier to long sessions.
Whether this turns out to be a confirmed May release or another year of tantalizing hints, one thing is certain: fans will be watching closely. If you’re planning to revisit the game or pick it up for the first time ahead of new content, the PlayStation ecosystem remains a popular place to play — including PlayStation 5 hardware like the PlayStation 5 Pro for those thinking about next‑gen performance.
Rumors often overpromise and underdeliver. But when a rumor has multiple, independent sources and a clear financial rationale behind it, it’s worth paying attention. Expect more leaks, more denials and, eventually, an official reveal — or not. Either way, the Witcher world is far from quiet.