20 February 2026

The Witcher 3 Hits Xbox Game Pass and Immediately Adds Fuel to the DLC Fire

By newsgame

Alongside soulslike deck-building game Death Howl and EA Sports College Football 26, Xbox Game Pass saw the addition of The Witcher 3 for Premium and Ultimate subscribers. It’s the entire Complete Edition, complete with the base game and two major story DLCs: Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. This is not the first time CD Projekt Red’s masterpiece has been on the service, as it was previously added in late 2019 and subsequently removed in early 2021.

Beyond The Witcher 3 joining Xbox Game Pass for the second time, there’s something special about this addition. It’s not complete proof, of course, but it’s unlikely to be a coincidence that it re-joins the service amid swirling rumors about a third major DLC.

It’s important to note that a video game joining a service, like PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass, close to a new release/reveal is rare, but not unheard of. Need for Speed Heat headlined a PS Plus line-up ahead of Need for Speed Unbound‘s official reveal, as just one simple example. The benefits are obvious: reignite franchise interest, rebuild playerbases, boost possible DLC sales, seed speculation before announcements, and/or extend audience reach. The Witcher 3 joining Xbox Game Pass at any other time wouldn’t draw as many eyes as right now, but given the sheer number of rumors about a new DLC, it’s hard to see this Xbox Game Pass addition as anything but preparation for it.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

The Witcher 3 New DLC Rumors Are Hot Ahead of Its Xbox Game Pass Addition

It began when Polish analyst Mateusz Chrzanowski said that developer CD Projekt Red needed to make roughly ~412m to hit a recent incentive program, reporting that he expected the company to release new DLC for The Witcher 3, or at the very least, “significant new content.” That same analyst later said they are “100% sure” that it is an expansion that will be released sometime in 2026. CD Projekt Red has yet to comment on the rumors, but the former project lead on the Witcher 1 even weighed in on it, building anticipation. Since then, other insiders, journalists, and outlets have reported on these claims, saying the DLC has been in the works for some time now (which makes sense given the incentive program began in 2023).

The content of the DLC remains a mystery, as it should. According to various sources, however, the DLC is set to introduce a new region to the world of The Witcher 3. This has seen several names thrown out, like Zerrikania or a brand new region related to Velen, with the latter seemingly more likely based on recent conversations.

Zerrikania is an exotic, largely unexplored region located far to the southeast of the Northern Kingdoms on the ot her side of the Korath Desert. It is believed to be a land of dragon-worshippers, expert alchemists, dangerous fauna, and fierce, tattooed warrior women.
Players may better know Velen as part of No Man’s Land after the third Northern War. It was famous for the Aretuza Academy of Magic before massive devastation led it to be a lawless land of mercenaries, soldiers, bandits, and the like.

This DLC is also said to serve as a “bridge” between The Witcher 3 and The Witcher 4, possibly setting up some of the plot points that new playable protagonist Ciri pursues in the next game. Indeed, given that The Witcher 4 is in full production as of late 2024/2025 (and CDPR has expanded its studios in recent years), it only makes sense to give fans a new playable teaser ahead of its release. As of this writing, fans have seen more of The Witcher 4 than this DLC, but it is reportedly slated to release in either 2027 or 2028.

witcher-3-geralt-dlc-blood-and-wine-cyberpunk-2077-v-game-rant

Inside CD Projekt Red Quest Design

Pawel Sasko gave a high-level overview of CD Projekt Red’s quest design approach at Gamescom LATAM, with Game Rant getting a deeper dive afterward.

New Witcher Content Would Now Be a Boon to Xbox Game Pass and CD Projekt Red

The last Witcher 3 DLC was Blood and Wine back in 2026, making it a decade since fans saw any sort of new Witcher video game content. With the game on Xbox Game Pass, not only would it introduce potential newcomers to Geralt’s journey at no additional cost, but it would also ensure that lapsed players have an easy excuse to dive back in. Accessibility is often half the battle, and Xbox Game Pass removes most barriers to entry just as interest in the franchise is spiking once more. That’s the calculated part of its addition that makes this more than a coincidence; as aforementioned, no one would have thought much of it if it rejoined the service last year.

It’s simple, but effective: players revisiting or playing for the first time can organically roll their hype into the new DLC. CD Projekt Red’s presumed incentive program is able to meet goals (hopefully), The Witcher 3‘s new content keeps fans retained through the release of The Witcher 4, and Xbox Game Pass plays a role in all of it, benefiting in similar ways.

Plus, optics are important with subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. Fans have seen, and know, when a game is added to the service too soon because of lackluster sales. Similarly, making it this widely available ahead of The Witcher 3‘s new DLC signals confidence. Whether coincidence or calculated strategy, the timing aligns too cleanly with the rumor mill to ignore. If new Witcher content truly is on the horizon, Xbox Game Pass may be the staging ground where anticipation turns into momentum.