The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a new set of PC minimum requirements ahead of the Songs of the Past expansion, and the changes are significant. Windows 10 is out, mechanical hard drives are no longer supported, and the game will run only through DirectX 12 going forward. These requirements take effect with the next game update, so they affect everyone who keeps the game updated, not just buyers of the new expansion.
Quick answer: To keep running the updated Witcher 3, you need an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-8400 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB GPU with 6 GB VRAM, 12 GB RAM, 70 GB of SSD storage, and 64-bit Windows 11.
The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past minimum PC requirements
These are the new minimum requirements that replace the older specs. The previous minimum listed a GeForce GTX 660 or Radeon HD 7870 and allowed Windows 7, so this is a notable jump. The full breakdown is below.
| Component | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-8400 |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB |
| VRAM | 6 GB |
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Storage | 70 GB SSD |
| OS | 64-bit Windows 11 |
You can find the official breakdown on CD Projekt Red's support page for the upcoming requirement changes.
What changed: Windows 11, SSD, and DirectX 12
Three rules now decide whether your machine can run the updated game. Windows 11 is the floor, an SSD is mandatory, and rendering happens only through DirectX 12.
The Windows 11 requirement applies to both The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red ties this to performance and compatibility, and it also means the game will only support processors and graphics cards that have active driver support on Windows 11.
The storage change removes hard drive support entirely. Only SSDs are supported from now on, which the studio links to faster load times, smoother asset streaming, and steadier performance. The DirectX 12 switch means older DX11-only setups will not work with the current version.
If your PC is below the new minimum specs
You are not locked out of the base game. Players on older hardware can revert to an earlier build of The Witcher 3 and keep playing the main game and its existing expansions. That option does not include Songs of the Past, which requires the updated version.
The workaround is the only path for Windows 10 users, machines without an SSD, or systems limited to DirectX 11. Follow the version rollback instructions on the official support page to stay on a compatible build.
Recommended requirements are not available yet
Only the minimum specs have been published. Neither CD Projekt Red nor co-developer Fool's Theory has shared a recommended spec sheet for Songs of the Past. Since the expansion is scheduled for 2027, the recommended tier is likely to arrive closer to launch, with more details promised for late summer 2026.
For now, the practical takeaway is simple. If you want to keep playing The Witcher 3 in its current form and be ready for Songs of the Past, move to Windows 11, install the game on an SSD, and make sure your CPU and GPU still hold active Windows 11 driver support. Anything short of that means staying on an older version of the game.