Fool's Theory says the biggest 'challenge' developing Songs of the Past was making sure Dandelion's story didn't 'steal the show' since The Witcher 3 is about Geralt — 'There was a very big effort put into this fine balancing of the narrative'

CD Projekt Red and Fool's Theory say there were narrative challenges when developing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past The expansion is about Dandelion, but they didn't want him to "steal the show" from Geralt There was also "pressure" to live up to the "legacy" of The Witcher 3 's previous expansions, but "pressure is what makes us better" CD Projekt Red and Fool's Theory have said that developing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 's third expansion, Songs of the Past , came with some narrative challenges and pressure to deliver.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom , where Jakub Rokosz, CEO of Fool's Theory and game director on Songs of the Past , and senior quest designer Despoina Anetaki offered new details about the upcoming expansion, the pair revealed the process of developing a new story about Dandelion without stealing the spotlight from Geralt.

Songs of the Past will be The Witcher 3 's final expansion and centers on Dandelion, Geralt's best friend, as the monster slayer unravels a new mystery within the bard's homeland of Letten.

Rokosz and Anetaki discussed how the expansion will "complete" The Wild Hunt 's story by giving Dandelion the spotlight he deserves, a chapter that CDPR felt was missing from the base game; however, it came with some challenges in how best to center the bard without losing the focus on Geralt as the protagonist.

"The narrative challenge of Songs of the Past was the biggest challenge; we knew we wanted to do an expansion about Dandelion, but he cannot steal the show, right? Because it's a game about Geralt," Rokosz said.

"So, all of us, straight away, we discarded certain ideas because they were too overwhelming.

But then, at the same time, if it's a game about Geralt, there is a very fine line between when it's about Geralt and Dandelion and when it's about you just running around Dandelion's home, right?" The former Witcher 3 senior quest designer also said that the narrative approach was something his team at Fool's Theory spent "absolute days and weeks discussing." He added, "So there was a very big effort put into this fine balancing of the narrative, where you are there for your friend, but it's still your adventure.

But it is about him and his family's matters, you know.

And your relationship with Dandelion as well." Anetaki said another big narrative challenge was "living up to the legacy" of The Witcher 3 and its critically acclaimed expansions, Hearts of Stone and, "especially," Blood and Wine .

"It's difficult to make something that is just as good or, if not better, right?" the developer said.