The Witcher 3 developer: ‘Don’t buy’ the expansions for our unreleased game ‘if you have any doubts’
Above: The Witcher 3 is promising a ton of content, but you can buy more even before it is out.
Games are expensive to make, and the people paying those bills aren’t afraid to squeeze excited gamers for a few extra bucks.
That’s what is happening with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a mammoth role-playing game that launches May 19 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Developer CD Projekt Red just announced that it’s working on two expansions for the game that will offer around 30 extra hours of content. You can, of course, wait until they launch before you buy the add-ons, or you can buy them right now in a bundle as part of The Witcher 3’s “Expansion Pass.” For many people, it might seem a bit early to reveal bonus content for a game that isn’t even out — so it’s probably also a bit early to decide whether or not you should buy that stuff. And even CD Projekt Red agrees with this skepticism.
“While we’re offering the expansion pass now, we want to make one thing clear: Don’t buy it if you have any doubts,” CD Projekt Red cofounder Marcin Iwiński said in a statement. “Wait for reviews or play The Witcher and see if you like it first. As always, it’s your call.”
While more content is always great, many people would probably prefer that extra content get included on the $60 disc. That’s especially true when developers are announcing it before the base game is even out. But announcing downloadable content prior to release is a standard practice for developers and publishers these days. It’s a way to potentially make more money from each gamers. We’ve seen this sort of DLC season pass since games like Rockstar’s L.A. Noire in 2011, and it continues today with major 2015 releases like Mortal Kombat X, Battlefield: Hardline, and Dying Light.
For CD Projkect Red’s DLC, it is calling the first expansion Hearts of Stone. It is a 10-hour mystery where players must complete a contract for the enigmatic Man of Glass. The second is Blood and Wine, and it is a 20-hour adventure that will take players to a new region where peace and “carefree indulgence” hides something nefarious.
Many critics of this kind of DLC — the kind that developers clearly have planned before releasing the game — say that this is content that the studio would likely have included in the base game. But in order to make that extra cash, the developer lopped it out to sell it separately. Game creators almost always deny this.
CD Projekt Red is asserting that it has finished The Witcher 3, and it is only now getting to work on the two expansions.
“With the development of Wild Hunt coming to an end, the team has embarked upon the creation of two new really big adventures set in The Witcher universe,” Iwiński said. “We remember the time when add-on disks truly expanded games by delivering meaningful content. As gamers, we’d like to bring that back. We’ve said in the past that if we ever decide to release paid content, it will be vast in size and represent real value for the money. Both our expansions offer more hours of gameplay than quite a few standalone games out there.”
Statements like that don’t always change the popular perception among gamers that this is content that the developer should include on the disc. But publishers are willing to risk alienating some fans because of the increased chance that when people go to buy something like The Witcher, they may opt for the “Special Edition” that comes with a pass for all the DLC at a premium price.
Excitement for a game is almost always highest before it debuts, and that’s likely where publishers and developers can get the most buyers for DLC.
Not all major releases with downloadable content are like this. For example, months after launching Mario Kart 8 in May 2014, Nintendo revealed it was starting to work on downloadable content. This included new tracks and characters. The publisher explicitly said that it only just started working on the content, and so it would take months to finish. After making the announcement in August, the company released the first DLC pack — featuring characters like Link and Cat Peach — in November. It plans to release the second DLC pack next month, which is a full year after Mario Kart 8 debuted.
While many fans prefer Nintendo’s take on DLC, publishers seem to prefer to get the money up front. And The Witcher 3’s method is likely here to stay for that reason.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Available now.
What’s new with The Witcher 3.
Xbox One X Enhancements.
With the additional power of the Xbox One X, The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt runs in 4K, while providing numerous visual tweaks such as better quality shadows, ambient occlusion & texture filtering, as well as higher resolution textures, and an all-around performance boost. When playing the game on Xbox One X, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s visuals are sharper and the overall presentation more vivid than ever before on Xbox. And it’s not just owners of a 4K TV who will benefit from the higher resolution. Thanks to supersampling, the leap in quality will be visible even on a 1080p screen.*
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine.
Become professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia and explore Toussaint, a remote land untouched by war, where you will unravel the horrifying secret behind a beast terrorizing the kingdom. With all trails leading to dead ends, only a witcher can solve the mystery and survive the evil lurking in the night. Introducing an entirely new realm to traverse, new characters and monsters, Blood and Wine is a 20+ hour adventure full of dark deeds, unexpected twists, romance and deceit.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone.
Step again into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer, this time hired to defeat a ruthless bandit captain, Olgierd von Everec, a man who possesses the power of immortality. This expansion to “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” packs over 10 hours of new adventures, introducing new characters, powerful monsters, unique romance and a brand new storyline shaped by your choices.
Game features.
Play as a highly trained monster slayer for hire.
Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a distrusted counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.
Explore a morally indifferent fantasy open world.
Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity. Traverse a fantastical open world: explore forgotten ruins, caves and shipwrecks, trade with merchants and dwarven smiths in cities, and hunt across the open plains, mountains, and seas.
Fully realized next generation.
Built exclusively for next generation hardware, the REDengine 3 renders the world of The Witcher visually nuanced and organic, a real true to life fantasy. Dynamic weather systems and day/night cycles affect how the citizens of the towns and the monsters of the wilds behave.
Trailers and gameplay.
Game details.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a story-driven, next-generation open world role-playing game, set in a visually stunning fantasy universe, full of meaningful choices and impactful consequences. In The Witcher, you play as the professional monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia, tasked with finding a child of the prophecy in a vast open world rich with merchant cities, Viking pirate islands, dangerous mountain passes, and forgotten caverns to explore.
Additional information.
Blood and Gore Intense Violence Nudity Strong Language Strong Sexual Content Use of Alcohol More.
Publisher CD Projekt RED Developer CD Projekt RED.
Genre RPG Platforms Xbox One.
Release date May 19, 2015.
Get the game.
Standard Edition.
The definitive answer for those gamers who want to enter the Witcher universe with style.
The Witcher 3 add-ons.
games>witcher-3>DLC>expansion-pass>click" aria-label="Download Witcher 3 Expansion pass from Microsoft Store">
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Expansion Pass.
The Expansion Pass secures your access to two epic adventures set in the vibrant world of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine.
Blood and Wine offers over 20 hours of adventure, where beauty clashes with horror, and love dances with deceit.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone.
Hearts of Stone packs over 10 hours of new adventures, introducing new characters, powerful monsters, and a brand new storyline.
New Finisher Animations.
Slay your foes in new brutal and spectacular ways with this visceral and adrenaline-pumping DLC!
Hungry for more action? Start a new game with all the skills and items from your previous playthrough.
"Ballad Heroes" Neutral Gwent Card Set.
The "Ballad Heroes" neutral Gwent card set will provide alternative cards capturing characters from Dandelion's ballads in all their glory.
Beard and Hairstyle Set.
Customize Geralt of Rivia to your liking with this amazing set of beards and hairstyles.
New Quest - "Where the Cat and Wolf Play. "
Explore a forgotten village and discover its terrifying secret.
Alternative Look for Ciri.
Mix things up with this new and finely crafted outfit for Ciri.
New Quest - "Contract: Missing Miners"
New Quest - 'Contract: Skellige's Most Wanted'
A monster hunt like no other -- Can you survive it?
Alternative look for Triss.
Love to play dress up? Now you can with this exclusive new look for Triss Merigold.
Which one is yours?
Elevate your game.
Xbox Design Lab.
Personalize your very own Xbox Wireless Controller. Now available.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone.
Hearts of Stone is the first official expansion pack for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- an award-winning role-playing game set in a vast fantasy open world. Become Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer hired to defeat a ruthless bandit captain, Olgierd von Everec, a man who possesses the power of immortality. Hearts of Stone packs over 10 hours of new adventures, introducing new characters, powerful monsters, unique romance and a brand new storyline shaped by your choices.
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Strong Sexual Content.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone.
Works with.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Included in.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Expansion Pass.
Description.
Hearts of Stone is the first official expansion pack for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- an award-winning role-playing game set in a vast fantasy open world. Become Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer hired to defeat a ruthless bandit captain, Olgierd von Everec, a man who possesses the power of immortality. Hearts of Stone packs over 10 hours of new adventures, introducing new characters, powerful monsters, unique romance and a brand new storyline shaped by your choices.
Available on.
Additional info.
Approximate download size.
Age rating.
Strong Sexual Content.
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Ratings and reviews.
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All user reviews.
best expansion I've played on XB1.
Great new story line, very enthralling while staying true to what's great about the core game. too often expansions feel like they are recreating the game, not here. very well done and and since you need to be a high level it was fantastic to see the new more difficult enemies, I'll admit I was getting bored with the fights at the end of the base game, but right from the first enemies I had to noticable challenge.
70 out of 71 people found this helpful.
Worth the money.
Exellent story, Great voice overs, a nice addition to crafting, and depending on your play style 10 to 15 hours of game play. This is how all paid addons should be.
45 out of 46 people found this helpful.
Great main and side Quests.Loved the story from start to finish!
37 out of 38 people found this helpful.
So Addicted ❤ Best Game I've Ever Played.
The story is full of quests. There's never a dull moment. The graphics are amazing, not like any game I've seen so far. I have the expansion pack, so worth it. I played the whole game at least 40+ times. I know this is the end of the witcher games, but I seriously hope it's not. 😢
59 out of 62 people found this helpful.
simply amazing.
more of what made this game amazing. story is strong. fun gameplay. would have loved some more gwent. also one of the side quests is bugged, can't be completed. from distant shores or something to that effect. all said id rather buy witcher DLC than other games its that good🙂
23 out of 24 people found this helpful.
SUPER AWSOME.
i like it all very well done worth every penny.
25 out of 28 people found this helpful.
GOOSE x MACHINA.
Stone Cold Brilliant.
Although a more brief main story, Hearts Of Stone has still stolen my heart. CDRed never fails to captivate with unforgetable characters and wonderfully intricate plots that really make you contemplate your choices.
13 out of 14 people found this helpful.
worth it for story.
genuinely good, worth playing from start to finish.
12 out of 13 people found this helpful.
Amazing DLC.
This is how you do an amazing DLC!
9 out of 10 people found this helpful.
great game.
6 out of 7 people found this helpful.
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Expansion Pass.
"The Expansion Pass secures your access to two epic adventures set in the vibrant world of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. Hearts of Stone will take Geralt on an all-new 10-hour adventure into the wilds of No Man’s Land and the nooks and alleys of Oxenfurt, where he’ll try to complete a contract from the mysterious Man of Glass. Caught in a thick tangle of deceit, Geralt will need all his cunning and strength to solve the mystery and emerge unscathed. Blood and Wine, a 20-hour tale that will introduce the all-new in-game region of Toussaint, will take Geralt to a land untainted by war, where an atmosphere of carefree indulgence and knightly ritual masks an ancient, bloody secret. Both expansions will offer gamers new content, gear and foes, and will feature characters both new and dearly missed -- all crafted with maximum attention to detail and quality. Hearts of Stone is already available, while Blood and Wine is slated for release in the first half of 2016."
Thanks for your order.
We'll try to push-to-install this on your home Xbox One. If you’ve blocked automated downloads, you might want to enable them. On your Xbox One, go to Settings > System > Updates > Keep my games & apps up to date . By the way, you can find this and anything else you’ve installed in My games and apps .
Trying to install on your home Xbox One.
We'll try to push-to-install this on your home Xbox One. If you’ve blocked automated downloads, you might want to enable them. On your Xbox One, go to Settings > System > Updates > Keep my games & apps up to date . By the way, you can find this and anything else you’ve installed in My games and apps .
Get an Xbox Live account.
To play this game, you need an Xbox Live account. Get one here.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Expansion Pass.
Works with.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
In this bundle.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine.
Description.
"The Expansion Pass secures your access to two epic adventures set in the vibrant world of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. Hearts of Stone will take Geralt on an all-new 10-hour adventure into the wilds of No Man’s Land and the nooks and alleys of Oxenfurt, where he’ll try to complete a contract from the mysterious Man of Glass. Caught in a thick tangle of deceit, Geralt will need all his cunning and strength to solve the mystery and emerge unscathed. Blood and Wine, a 20-hour tale that will introduce the all-new in-game region of Toussaint, will take Geralt to a land untainted by war, where an atmosphere of carefree indulgence and knightly ritual masks an ancient, bloody secret. Both expansions will offer gamers new content, gear and foes, and will feature characters both new and dearly missed -- all crafted with maximum attention to detail and quality. Hearts of Stone is already available, while Blood and Wine is slated for release in the first half of 2016."
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Age rating.
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All user reviews.
This dlc is probably one of the best dlcs I have ever played ever. I don't usually leave reviews or comments on anything, but I felt the need to after playing blood and wine. All I can say about this dlc is that this thrilling new tale was something like no other, leaving the player feeling like they just embarked on one of Geralts greatest quest. If you haven't played this dlc yet and you love The Witcher 3 this is a must!
125 out of 125 people found this helpful.
The Gold standard For DLC.
This DLC is wholly amazing. The absolute attention to detail and completion in every aspect left me awestruck. The story totally pulled me in and held me in suspense to the very last moment. There were also quite a few laughs to be had, as well as some crushing realizations throughout. In addition to the story elements there was a lot of engagin gameplay and new areas to explore. The area in this DLC is roughly equivalent to 1/2 or 1/3 of the vanilla game area. There is also no shortage of side quests, points of interest, and new monsters to battle. As always in The Witcher your decisions greatly affect the outcome of the mains story as well as some of the side quests. If you have even an inkling of interest download this DLC immediately. $20 or $25 is a paltry amount to pay for such excellence and the huge infusion of content this DLC provides. 9/5 stars.
147 out of 148 people found this helpful.
A very good send off for geralt.
Everythimg about this expansion is pretty amazing. notice how i didnt say dlc? thats because its so much more than downloadable content. its one final farewell to a charcter im sure many of you have grown to love and care for. Toussaint is beautiful. the side quests are AMAZING and i loved the main quest. youre looking at atleast 30 hours of gameplay. i can see people milking every last drop amd probably willl be close to pushing 60 to 75 hours. if you enjoyed the main game then this is a MUST PLAY GAME.
115 out of 118 people found this helpful.
DLC done right.
This DLC gives you great value for your purchase. Particularly Blood and Wine. You get a new story, which complements the main story, plus a new map that's both gorgeous and huge.
49 out of 49 people found this helpful.
A game unto itself!
This expansion brings everything we love about Witcher to the table in droves. Action, intrigue, mystery, beauty, and death. And as with any great DLC, it is highly replayable. Of course, the graphics and voice acting are top-notch as well. 5/5 easily.
61 out of 62 people found this helpful.
best expansion I've played on XB1.
Great new story line, very enthralling while staying true to what's great about the core game. too often expansions feel like they are recreating the game, not here. very well done and and since you need to be a high level it was fantastic to see the new more difficult enemies, I'll admit I was getting bored with the fights at the end of the base game, but right from the first enemies I had to noticable challenge.
70 out of 71 people found this helpful.
GOOSE x MACHINA.
Bloody Incredible.
CDP Red doesn't just raise the bar, it blows the roof off with this stunning DLC. You aren't just getting an add-on, you're getting a second game! Incredible areas, stunning stories, and old friends await in the grandious finale to the best series I've had the joy of playing.
38 out of 38 people found this helpful.
THAT MAFIA BOSS.
Beautifully made and worth the pay.
Graphics are off the chart, great story, challenging, and worth the pay. A new area to explore including weapons, saddles, and armor to obtain. Enemies, monsters, and animals are more challenging to kill along with a few new enemies added to the DLC. The characters are well made with solid backgrounds. Boss battles are challenging and well rewarded. A variety of interesting side quests with tragedy and comedy. This DLC is one to remember in your moments of gaming.
71 out of 73 people found this helpful.
My Favorite RPG!
I love the long story line, and lots of different Monsters. I love being able to choose my dialog. One thing I would suggest is more frequently Auto saves and also I wish there was endless contracts for monsters and throughout the game as you complete more, more contracts would show up so we always have something to do if we finish the Game. I also wish there was a Ciri DLC where we can play a whole chapter with just Ciri. Overall I really love this game and I would be extremely excited to hear that a witcher 4 is in the making!
94 out of 97 people found this helpful.
Worth the money.
Exellent story, Great voice overs, a nice addition to crafting, and depending on your play style 10 to 15 hours of game play. This is how all paid addons should be.
45 out of 46 people found this helpful.
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Witcher 3's Two Major Expansions Cost $25.
Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine will come bundled together in the Witcher 3 Expansion Pass.
Last updated by Eddie Makuch on April 11, 2015 at 9:48AM.
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Earlier this week, CD Projekt Red announced two major expansions for upcoming open-world role-playing game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but the developer didn't say how much they would cost. Now we know.
Official descriptions posted on Steam, GOG.com, and the PlayStation Store reveal that the Witcher 3 Expansion Pass--which includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine add-ons--will cost $25.
There is no Witcher 3 Expansion Pass product page yet on Xbox.com, but you can bet it will also cost $25 on Microsoft's console.
The Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions will presumably also be sold separately, though prices for individual expansions were not announced.
Hearts of Stone will be released in October 2015, while Blood and Wine is due to launch in early 2016. Together, the expansions will add around 30 hours of gamplay to an already massive game. You can read more about the two expansions through GameSpot's previous coverage.
After multiple delays, The Witcher 3 release date is May 19 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. A new trailer for the game is available above, while some screenshots follow in the gallery below.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Expansion Pass XBOX One [Digital Code]
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Warner Bros ESRB Rating M - Mature (Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence) Genre RPG DRM XBOX One.
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