It’s been a busy year so far for a game that’s over 10 years old. If you’ve not been following, last week, we asked “is there really going to be a new Witcher 3 expansion this year?”, responding to comments from Borys Nieśpielak, a trusted source of Polish games industry information. Following his remarks, a Noble Securities analyst then added fuel to the fire this week.
Now, more information about this decade-late DLC seems to have surfaced. Per IGN Poland, it seems that CD Projekt’s developers have mentioned a past interest in exploring the region of Zerrikania. Now, this isn’t particularly new information, but the fact that it’s resurfacing now – as multiple sources indicate CD Projekt Red is cooking something to do with the game – is worth interrogating.
I actually spent some time reading the Witcher books last year, and remember Zerrikania being referred to as a vast (human!) realm located to the east of both the Northern Kingdoms and the Nilfgaardian Empire. There are two huge forests in the region – one in a deep canyon and one resting in the foothills of the Fiery Mountains. Good setting for a big open-world DLC, then…
The region has actually been mentioned in the games, to date. If you (or Geralt) don’t invite Letho to Kaer Morhen at the end of the Ghosts of the Past quest in the base game of The Witcher 3, Letho notes he will flee to Zerrikania. You can also get some Zerrikania clothes in the ‘alternative look for Ciri’ free DLC. Was that a hint at things to come, perhaps?
Given the lore of the books – and, I think, one season of the Netflix adaptation – you can expect dragons in this region. The culture there worships them as god-like beings, but they have been known to run rampant on occasion… perhaps leading towards the need for a Witcher – or Witchers – to deal with.
As for CD Projekt Red, the company hasn’t released a new game since Cyberpunk 2077 expansion Phantom Liberty in late 2023 (though Cyberpunk 2077 did come to Switch 2 alongside the console’s release in 2025, to some very impressive sales). The game continues to sell well – whoda thought, after that launch – having passed 35 million sales mark and claiming an almost-permanent spot on Steam’s best-sellers list.
CD Projekt Red has previously told Eurogamer “it does not comment on rumour or speculation”, regarding this Witcher 3 DLC rumour: the company’s standard line on these things. So it remains to be seen whether this is all legit, or just some fanciful thinking. Watch this space.