CD Projekt Red and Milan Records opened an unexpected musical corridor into Geralt of Rivia’s unfinished wanderings on Monday. Music publisher Milan Records released a five-track preview collection featuring original orchestral and traditional folk compositions from the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt [1]. This sudden digital release grants listeners their earliest tangible taste of the role-playing game’s third major content expansion in over a decade [2].
Milan Records Launches Songs of the Past EP
Milan Records officially titled the newly issued digital package The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past (OST Gamescom 2026 EP) across storefronts [1, 2]. The production unites three distinct compositional voices who collaborated directly on the project: Magda Urbańska, Marcin Przybyłowicz, and British composer Daniel Elms [1]. Przybyłowicz previously defined the unmistakable auditory signature of the 2015 base game, while Urbańska and Elms provide fresh stylistic perspectives for this return [2].
The digital collection includes five tracks. Magda Urbańska composed the opening piece “Return to the Path,” which immediately reintroduces the distinctive folk harmonies of the Witcher universe. Urbańska also contributed the second track “Awoken” and the closing piece “Belleteyn Night,” creating an evocative musical frame around the entire Gamescom compilation. Urbańska composed three individual pieces. British composer Daniel Elms crafted the atmospheric third track “Into Darkness,” and veteran composer Marcin Przybyłowicz delivered the fourth piece “What’s Done” to complete the five-track lineup [1].
Milan Records made the digital compilation available across major streaming platforms immediately following the initial reveal [1].
Slavic Heritage Shapes the Expansion Score
Composer Magda Urbańska highlighted the deep emotional weight of contributing to such an iconic fantasy universe when speaking in an official release statement. Urbańska reflected on her transition from classical training, noting that traditional folk performance requires a completely different sensibility while offering massive creative possibilities. Urbańska explained that the project drew strength from regional identity, observing that their Slavic roots run deep within their creative identity and help preserve the core musical spirit of the franchise [1].
Publisher Milan Records emphasized that the soundtrack was specifically created to accompany Geralt of Rivia as he journeys along the Path once again. In an official production statement, the publisher noted that the score combines evocative orchestral writing with traditional folk influences, striking vocal performances, and regional instrumentation drawn from diverse traditional cultures. Slavic folklore inspired each musical movement. That combination balances sweeping dramatic grandeur with quiet acoustic intimacy [1].
Urbańska candidly acknowledged that stepping into the musical legacy established by CD Projekt Red felt both exhilarating and intimidating. Urbańska explained that writing music for the expansion carried a tremendous sense of creative responsibility after years of admiring the original 2015 game’s soundtrack. She recalled that the original compositions shook her to the core when she first heard them years ago. Urbańska maintained that those foundational pieces were extraordinary upon release and remain equally powerful today [2].
Gamescom Reveal Establishes the Letten Setting
CD Projekt Red initially announced the expansion during the Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase in August, surprising audiences who followed the Gamescom 2026 showcase schedule for studio updates. While journalists such as Eurogamer’s Dom Peppiatt experienced a private hands-off demonstration of the gameplay, members of the wider public have not yet played the software. Dom Peppiatt remarked that the newly released compositions establish a vivid acoustic tone for Letten (a brand-new playable territory), treating players to folksy light-heartedness underscored by an unmistakable current of malice and mystery [2].
Letten serves as the central setting. During the Cologne presentation, developers confirmed that Geralt’s journey through this new region introduces an original romantic storyline and fresh narrative conflicts that have quietly been in development for several years. CD Projekt Red representatives revealed that the broad narrative structure actually crystallized after a sequence of happy creative accidents [2].
Can a classic role-playing adventure maintain its cultural hold after remaining quiet for more than a decade? When The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt launched in 2015, critics praised its dense quest design, leading to its celebrated status as an IGN Game of the Year recipient. The upcoming release represents the studio’s first brand-new narrative expansion in over a decade, making this DLC an extraordinary creative gamble that will arrive when the core title celebrates its twelfth anniversary next year [1]. Because more than a full decade has passed since players first explored the Continent, that extensive generational gap means an entirely new demographic of modern console enthusiasts will eagerly experience Geralt’s expansive fantasy world for the very first time [2].
Songs of the Past Expansion Targets Modern Consoles
CD Projekt Red confirmed that Songs of the Past Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S editions will arrive together next year. Nintendo Switch 2 will receive the expansion. Delivering the adventure across modern hardware enables the studio to leverage updated system architecture without abandoning the massive installed base that has supported the game for years [2].
The prolonged development timeline highlights how CD Projekt Red continues to nurture its existing catalogue while developing future franchise installments [2]. IGN noted that announcing an entirely new story chapter for a title approaching its twelfth year is nearly unprecedented within the modern gaming landscape. The project demonstrates how narrative role-playing games can maintain relevance long after their initial commercial lifecycle has concluded [1].
Elsewhere in the coverage, Eurogamer reported that the early digital release provides an evocative acoustic compass for players eagerly anticipating Geralt’s arrival in Letten. Milan Records distributed the songs across Spotify, Apple Music, and other global streaming services to ensure widespread accessibility [1, 2].
Remastered Update Prepares the Path
CD Projekt Red is pairing its long-term expansion plans with immediate technical revisions for existing players. The studio scheduled a comprehensive update titled The Witcher 3 Remastered for release on September 29, arriving well ahead of the eventual expansion debut. Hands-on previews demonstrated significant overhauls to dynamic lighting systems, an expanded combat camera angle, and substantial revisions across the character skill tree [3].
These graphical and balance adjustments follow an intense period of online discussion regarding visual consistency across modern hardware revisions. Recent community debates over visual fidelity, including the backlash over a Witcher 3 Remastered comparison clip, showed how passionately fans scrutinize changes to the game’s presentation. By deploying these technical refinements on September 29, the development team aims to stabilize the visual baseline before narrative expansions arrive [3].
Geralt returns to the Path. The five tracks released by Milan Records confirm that while graphics technology and combat mechanics evolve, traditional Slavic instrumentation remains the emotional heart of Geralt’s journey [1, 2]. Players can stream the five-track collection today while CD Projekt Red finalizes the road ahead [1].
- ONLINE NEWS McCaffrey, R. (2026, September 28). Hear the First New Witcher 3 Music in Over a Decade As 5-Track Songs of the Past Soundtrack EP Drops. IGN. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Peppiatt, D. (2026, September 28). If you want an early taste of The Witcher 3’s Songs of the Past expansion, you can listen to five tracks from the OST right now. Eurogamer. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS The Witcher 3 Remastered releases Sept. 29 ahead of Songs of the Past. (2026, September 29). Dot Esports. [Article Link]
