Getting started

Are Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine free in The Witcher 3?

Check the free Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine inclusion, update the right edition, and choose an existing character or an expansion-only start.

The two original expansions

Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are included with the updated base game. You do not need to buy the delisted standalone expansion listings to access that content. Songs of the Past is a separate future expansion.

Get the content on your platform

On current supported versions, update the owned game first. CDPR’s FAQ directs PS4 and Xbox One players to download the free expansions separately. That entitlement change does not turn those devices into Remastered platforms.

  1. Confirm the game is installed under the account that owns it and finish available updates.
  2. On older consoles, check each expansion’s free download and installation status.
  3. Start the game and look for the expansion options. Do not judge solely by an old store title.

Continue a character or start an expansion

You can use an existing playthrough, or choose a standalone expansion start from the main menu. A standalone start is the direct choice when you want the expansion without replaying the opening story. Keep a separate slot if you also want to continue your original character.

When comparing these routes, decide whether your priority is continuing your own quest choices and equipment, or reaching the expansion quickly. Follow the displayed main-menu choices rather than overwriting the only campaign save.

If an old save asks for missing DLC

Ownership and installed files are separate checks. A transferred save can require content that the destination has not installed. Use the missing-DLC save guide for that error; a general reinstall is not the first entitlement check. Existing DLC owners retain their rights under the merged package according to the FAQ.

For the new region and 2027 window, read Songs of the Past. Do not treat the free inclusion of the two older expansions as a promise that a future expansion is free.

Sources and version limits

Sources checked October 4, 2026. This is an attributed guide, not a claim that we personally tested your save, hardware or game build.