Gamers hungry for more of Polish developer CD Projekt Red's role-playing epic The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be happy to know the first of the game's two announced expansion packs has a release date.
The Hearts of Stone expansion will hit both physical and online retail destinations on October 13, 2015. It will cost $10 digitally or purchased as part of the full expansion pass for $25. The latter option will include the second planned expansion titled Blood and Wine which will release some time in 2016.
Hearts of Stone will also get a limited edition boxed set that retails for $20. The main draw of the physical release are the two limited edition Gwent decks bundled with the game. Gwent is an expansive mini card game found within The Witcher 3. There was previously no way to get physical versions of the cards so diehard fans will no doubt be rejoicing over this release.
According to CD Projekt, players that previously purchased the expansion pass will not have to shell out more just to obtain the cards. They have set up a website called redeemgwent.com that will allow qualifying owners to purchase the two decks without rebuying Hearts of Stone.
The expansion contains approximately 10 hours of new content as well as a new runewords system, and new romance option. The official release from CD Projekt Red reads:
"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. The expansion lets you choose your own way through an adventure that includes recruiting a crew of break-in artists, spending a night partying with a ghost and outsmarting the most bizarre creatures Geralt has ever faced."