The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is set to release its new, and possibly final, round of DLC in 2022. Scheduled to arrive alongside the next-gen ports of the game for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, it has been revealed that the new Witcher 3 DLC is inspired by the Netflix series. CD Projekt Red had originally targeted late 2021 as a potential release window for the new Witcher 3 content but elected to postpone to 2022 based on the recommendations provided by the teams that are supervising the development of the updated versions of the RPG.
The Witcher 3's major expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, were released in 2015 and 2016 respectively and introduced a plethora of new content to the game. Between the first two DLCs, completionists were provided with nearly 80 hours of fresh story and side content to explore. Additionally, a variety of new weapons and armor sets, like the fan-favorite Wolf School Armor, were also introduced.
Although The Witcher 3 is confirmed to be receiving new content with the upgraded versions of the game, the DLC that accompanies the patch likely won't be as grand in scale as either of the first two expansions. Thus far, CDPR hasn't revealed much in terms of what will actually be included, only that it will be directly related to the series that stars Henry Cavill as Witcher protagonist Geralt of Rivea. Regardless, it won't be long before the next-gen versions of The Witcher 3, along with whatever DLC they may contain, are here.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Netflix DLC Should Release Mid 2022
According to CDPR, players can expect the next major Witcher 3 update to arrive sometime in the second quarter of 2022. This will include the next-gen upgrades for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as the new DLC free of charge for all who have purchased the base game on any platform. Graphical improvements and loading times will also be addressed, as these appear to be a primary focus of the update. Assuming there are no further delays regarding the Witcher 3's new-gen upgrades, which unfortunately is always a possibility, this leaves the potential release window between April and June.
While the updated cover art for the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition mentions "items inspired by the Netflix series" - potentially weapons and new cosmetics, such as the armor Henry Cavill wears in the series - it should be noted there is currently no mention of any new map areas or quests. However, it's not out of the realm of possibility for CDPR to include a few quests or activities also inspired by the television series. Not doing so could prove to be a missed opportunity for the highly regarded developer, as Witcher 3 recently hit its highest player count alongside the airing of the second season of the Netflix adaptation.
The increase in popularity of The Witcher Netflix series appears to be providing even more longevity to The Witcher 3, a title that has remained relatively popular ever since it launched nearly seven years ago. With many new players just now jumping in for the first time, it will be great to see CDPR incorporate material from the show that presumably brought some new eyes to the game. With next-gen updates on the horizon for both Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, 2022 is shaping up to be a big year for CD Projekt Red.