{"id":4650,"date":"2026-05-29T02:32:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T23:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/?p=4650"},"modified":"2026-05-29T02:34:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T23:34:00","slug":"witcher-3-new-system-requirements-songs-of-the-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/witcher-3-new-system-requirements-songs-of-the-past\/","title":{"rendered":"The Witcher 3 System Requirements Overhauled Ahead of Songs of the Past Expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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CD Projekt Red has significantly raised The Witcher 3’s minimum PC requirements ahead of the Songs of the Past expansion. Windows 11, SSD storage, and DirectX 12 are now mandatory.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

CD Projekt Red raised The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s minimum PC system requirements on May 27, 2026, marking the most significant hardware shift in the game’s 11-year history. With the newly announced third expansion, Songs of the Past<\/strong>, scheduled for 2027, the studio is dropping support for Windows 10, hard disk drives, and DirectX 11 entirely. The Witcher 3 has sold over 60 million copies since its 2015 launch, and this update signals serious technical ambition for what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old vs. New Minimum Requirements: A Direct Comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The gap between the original and updated minimum specs is substantial. Here is a side-by-side breakdown based on CD Projekt Red’s official support page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Component<\/th>Previous Minimum<\/th>New Minimum<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
CPU<\/strong><\/td>Intel Core i5-2500K \/ AMD A10-5800K<\/td>AMD Ryzen 5 2600 \/ Intel Core i5-8400<\/td><\/tr>
GPU<\/strong><\/td>NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 \/ AMD Radeon HD 7870<\/td>NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 \/ AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB<\/td><\/tr>
VRAM<\/strong><\/td>Not specified<\/td>6 GB<\/td><\/tr>
RAM<\/strong><\/td>6 GB<\/td>12 GB<\/td><\/tr>
Storage<\/strong><\/td>50 GB (HDD supported)<\/td>70 GB SSD<\/td><\/tr>
OS<\/strong><\/td>64-bit Windows 7 \/ Windows 8 (8.1)<\/td>64-bit Windows 11<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every category saw a meaningful jump. RAM doubled from 6 GB to 12 GB. Storage increased by 20 GB while simultaneously requiring an SSD instead of an HDD. The GPU floor moved from 2013-era hardware to mid-range cards from 2019. Most notably, the operating system requirement leaped from Windows 7 all the way to Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Is Windows 11 Now Mandatory?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CD Projekt Red’s reasoning centers on Microsoft ending official support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. In its official statement, the studio explained: “Without ongoing security updates, official platform support, and continued GPU driver support, we will no longer test our games on Windows 10.” This policy applies to both The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Windows 11 requirement creates a cascading hardware effect. Only processors that are officially compatible with Windows 11 will be supported. Only GPUs with active driver support for gaming on Windows 11 will be supported. This effectively cuts off a range of older hardware that could technically run the game but lacks updated driver infrastructure under Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Steam’s hardware survey data referenced by Windows Central, Windows 11 now accounts for 67.74% of Steam users, while Windows 10 has dropped to 25.63%. Still, a quarter of all Steam users on Windows 10 represents a significant population potentially affected by this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The End of HDD Support and DirectX 11<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Two other major changes accompany the Windows 11 requirement. First, hard disk drives are no longer supported. CD Projekt Red stated that “SSDs offer faster load times, smoother asset streaming, and improved overall performance.” For a game that will now require 70 GB of storage, SSD-based streaming is clearly integral to the expansion’s technical design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, The Witcher 3 will run exclusively on DirectX 12. The studio says DX12 “allows us to support ongoing technical improvements and modern hardware more effectively.” This eliminates the DX11 rendering path that has existed since the game’s original launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Songs of the Past?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Songs of the Past is the third expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CD Projekt Red confirmed it will launch in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Players will return to the role of Geralt of Rivia for a brand-new adventure. The expansion is being co-developed with Fool’s Theory, a Polish studio staffed by industry veterans who previously worked on The Witcher 3 at CD Projekt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the first major narrative content since Blood and Wine launched in 2016, an 11-year gap. CD Projekt Red’s press release emphasized the word “expansion” rather than “DLC,” signaling a scope more in line with Blood and Wine’s substantial offering than a smaller content pack. The Witcher 3 has won more than 250 Game of the Year awards and over 1,000 industry awards in total, making this one of the most decorated titles to receive a new expansion this far into its lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More details about the expansion’s story and content will be revealed in late summer 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Platforms Are Supported?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Songs of the Past targets current-generation hardware only. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions will not exist. No Switch 2 version has been announced either. On PC, the elevated system requirements effectively filter out machines built around pre-2017 components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the official announcement, leaks reported by IGN Poland and various sources suggested the expansion could take place in Zerrikania, a remote eastern region of the Witcher universe characterised by desert landscapes, warrior women, and dragon cults. These reports remain unconfirmed by CD Projekt Red.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can You Revert to an Older Version?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Players whose hardware does not meet the new minimum specs have a fallback option on Steam and GOG. CD Projekt Red has made “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Classic,” an earlier version of the game, available as a beta build. This lets you continue playing the base game and existing expansions on older hardware. However, the studio has not confirmed whether this classic version will support the Songs of the Past expansion, and the expectation is that it will not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Epic Games Store users do not have access to older builds, so players on that platform without qualifying hardware may be unable to play after the update goes live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Bridge Between The Witcher 3 and The Witcher 4<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Multiple reports and pre-announcement leaks indicate that Songs of the Past is intended as a narrative bridge between The Witcher 3 and the upcoming Witcher 4, which will star Ciri as its protagonist. If true, this expansion could introduce plot threads, factions, and world-state changes that directly set up the next game in the franchise. CD Projekt Red has not officially confirmed this connection, but the emphasis on bringing Geralt back for one more chapter before the saga shifts to a new protagonist fits the pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The updated system requirements lend further weight to the theory that Songs of the Past is technically ambitious. Analysts and content creators have noted that raising the minimum specs of an 11-year-old game strongly implies denser environments, more advanced asset streaming, larger cities, and more cinematic storytelling than the base game delivered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Your PC Meet the New Requirements?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here is a quick checklist to determine whether your current setup qualifies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Operating system:<\/strong> You need Windows 11 (64-bit). Windows 10 and earlier are no longer supported. Remember that Windows 11 itself requires TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Storage:<\/strong> You need at least 70 GB of free space on an SSD. HDDs will not work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • CPU:<\/strong> At minimum, an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • GPU:<\/strong> At minimum, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT with 8 GB VRAM. Any card with at least 6 GB VRAM and active Windows 11 driver support should qualify.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • RAM:<\/strong> 12 GB is the new floor. Systems with 8 GB or less will not meet the minimum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    If your PC does not tick all these boxes, you can still play the current version of The Witcher 3 by reverting to the classic build on Steam or GOG, but the new expansion will likely require the updated version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Things Players Are Asking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When exactly does Songs of the Past release?<\/strong>
    CD Projekt Red confirmed a 2027 launch window. No specific month or date has been announced. More information is expected in late summer 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When do the new system requirements take effect?<\/strong>
    The updated requirements will become effective with the next game update. The date for that update has not been specified yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How much will Songs of the Past cost?<\/strong>
    No pricing has been announced for any region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is this expansion as big as Blood and Wine?<\/strong>
    CD Projekt Red has consistently used the word “expansion” rather than “DLC.” The involvement of Fool’s Theory as a co-developer and the raised system requirements suggest a substantial scope, though exact content details have not been shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Will the old version of the game still work on Windows 10?<\/strong>
    Yes. Players on Steam and GOG can access the classic build of The Witcher 3, which retains the original system requirements. This lets you keep playing on Windows 10, but likely without access to Songs of the Past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is The Witcher 3 coming to PS4 or Xbox One with this expansion?<\/strong>
    No. Songs of the Past is exclusive to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Last-gen console support has been dropped entirely for this expansion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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