The Witcher 3 Introduces a Weapon Once Considered ‘Impossible’ 11 Years Ago

The Witcher 3 may have launched over a decade ago, but CD Projekt Red isn’t finished with this iconic RPG just yet. A remastered version is set to drop later this month, paving the way for a new expansion titled Songs of the Past, which is scheduled for release next year. This expansion will bring back beloved characters like Dandelion while introducing fresh enemy types. Notably, Geralt will gain access to a weapon that was beyond his reach when the original game debuted in 2015.

In the lore of The Witcher, Geralt occasionally uses a chain in his monster battles. Fans might recall him wielding it against a striga in the opening cinematic of the 2007 game, even though it never made it into the gameplay. The absence of the chain continued in the second and third installments, but that will change with the Songs of the Past DLC, as advancements in technology have finally aligned with CD Projekt Red’s original vision.

In a recent interview, the game director for Songs of the Past, Jakub Rokosz, revealed that the idea of giving Geralt a chain was discussed during the development of the base game. “It was impossible to do at the time for various technological reasons and challenges,” he explained. “Now, with the remaster, we were able to tackle those challenges, allowing us to implement a weapon that feels natural and fluid, truly bringing to life the fantasy that players have read about in the books or seen in trailers.”

Senior quest designer Despoina Anetaki highlighted the chain’s effectiveness against the new enemies in Songs of the Past. “It allows for crowd control against foes like the Swarmions, keeping them at bay,” she noted. Additionally, it enables Geralt to pull enemies in for follow-up attacks. “It’s a fantastic weapon for players who might be tired of the crossbow by now.”

While we haven’t had the chance to try out Songs of the Past and its new chain weapon ourselves, a recent hands-off preview at an event showcased its capabilities. Observing the action, a previewer noted that Geralt’s chain can pull enemies from a distance, breaking through the Swarmion’s defenses and creating opportunities for new finishing moves, including a brutal decapitation.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past is set to launch in 2027, and anticipation is already building. Following that, The Witcher 4 is expected to arrive in 2028.

In exciting news for fans, the modder responsible for one of The Witcher 3’s most significant visual overhauls is now collaborating directly with CD Projekt Red.