The Witcher 3's new DLC will leave Nintendo Switch players behind

Developer CD Projekt Red surprised everyone on Wednesday by announcing that The Witcher 3 will get its 19th content update in 2027 with all-new DLC, Songs of the Past. That's over a decade after the initial release of the cherished open-world role-playing game, and it follows a number of already massive expansions and free content updates. Though it's a year away, news of more The Witcher 3 has been met with resounding applause — by everyone who isn't a Nintendo Switch owner, that is.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past has only been announced forPlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X thus far. The lack of a Nintendo Switch 2 version isn't terribly surprising, as the platform hasn't officially received an upgraded port. But the original Nintendo Switch did receive a version of the game in 2019 that is currently being billed as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Complete Edition. Songs of the Past isn't out yet, so technically speaking, calling that game a Complete Edition isn't wrong. All the same, Nintendo Switch fans are feeling left out of CD Projekt Red's announcement.

"Big miss for CD PROJECT RED," one Nintendo Switch fan wrote on Reddit. On X, another fan distilled their disappointment with a simple crying emoji.

There's good reason to hold out hope that Songs of the Past will come to Nintendo platforms, however. The Nintendo Switch version of The Witcher 3 didn't come out until four years after it was available on other platforms. Presumably, some of that had to do with the Nintendo Switch's limitations. Nintendo Switch 2 is a more capable machine, but it still lags behind some of its competitors.

If Cyberpunk 2077 is any indication, CD Projekt Red and co-developer Fool's Theory will need to do some optimizing before Songs of the Past can be enjoyed on Nintendo's console. But the studio's sci-fi game is widely regarded as one of the most impressive Nintendo Switch 2 ports on the platform. With that experience under its belt, a Witcher 3 DLC port might take significantly less time than it took for Switch owners to get the game in the first place.

Nintendo is a publisher that hates to share the spotlight, though. It's possible that a Nintendo Switch version of Songs of the Past is indeed in the works, but CD Projekt Red won't reveal it until there's a Nintendo Direct — just as it did for Cyberpunk 2077's announcement. A showcase like that would be a perfect opportunity for CD Projekt Red to sell a Nintendo Switch 2 "Ultimate" version that comes with all the Witcher 3 DLC. Said port could also offer Nintendo-specific features, as we saw with Cyberpunk 2077's platform-specific controls and the game's enviable Nintendo Switch packaging. And if the Polish studio could cram all of Cyberpunk 2077 into a cartridge, then Nintendo Switch 2 fans may not have to worry about having to deal with controversial downloadable Game-Key Cards.

So, sit tight, Nintendo Switch 2 owners. You'll probably get to ride Roach again... eventually.

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