The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past was 'impossible to realize without the remaster changes,' CD Projekt Red reveals: 'When we started prototyping the area it was impossible to ride with a horse through it'

CD Projekt Red has revealed that the upcoming The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt expansion, Songs of the Past, may not have been possible without the changes made during the remaster process. Senior quest designer Despoina Anetaki and game director Jakub Rokosz shared this insight during an interview at Gamescom. The expansion, set to launch in 2027, features lush vegetation, small bushes, and dense forests as key elements.

However, these environmental features posed significant technological challenges during development. One notable challenge was the difficulty in riding a horse through the area. To address this, CD Projekt Red implemented improvements to horse handling, making the experience feel more organic and natural. Additionally, a large lake in the center of the map, which provided a breathtaking view of the horizon, presented optimization challenges.

The remaster's optimization efforts helped overcome these obstacles, allowing the expansion to bring its vision to life. Without these remaster changes, the team acknowledges that realizing the full potential of Songs of the Past would have been impossible.