Game expansions that give you a reason to return

An old save file can be more inviting than a new game. You already know the world, remember the characters and have a build you spent time assembling. What you need is something worth doing with them.

A good expansion can provide that. The harder question is whether it offers the kind of return you want. More quests will not help much if quests were what tired you out. Another set of demanding bosses is an awkward invitation for someone who stopped because the fights became frustrating.

Blood and Wine, Phantom Liberty and Shadow of the Erdtree make useful comparisons because each gives its base game a different direction. All require the base game; none is a separate game you can buy and play on its own.

Blood and Wine: somewhere new to spend time with Geralt

The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine takes Geralt to Toussaint, a region of vineyards, ornate buildings and knightly ceremony. Its warmth makes a clear change from the war-damaged countryside of the main game. There is still a monster to investigate and plenty of ugliness beneath the scenery, so the new setting keeps the stories recognisably Witcher.

This is a good fit if you miss Geralt’s conversations and the smaller dramas encountered along a journey. The central investigation gives the trip a purpose, while monster contracts, a tournament and Gwent offer reasons to take detours. Corvo Bianco, Geralt’s own vineyard, gives you a home to improve between assignments.

There are additions for players who care about their build, too. New mutations extend Geralt’s abilities, and grandmaster Witcher gear gives equipment hunters another goal. These build on the existing combat. If sword fighting, spell use and inventory management were chores for you before, the scenery alone may not overcome that.

Allow room for a substantial visit. CD Projekt described roughly 30 hours of new adventures, including exploration; that is a scope estimate, not a promised completion time. Rushing the central story passes over much of what makes Toussaint an appealing place to return to.

The expansion offers a separate start mode with a levelled Geralt, useful if your old save has disappeared. An existing, developed character is also a reason to come back. For someone who has never finished the main story, playing that first gives the return more context; the shortcut is better suited to someone who already knows Geralt.

Blood and Wine has versions for Windows PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. Buy the expansion for the platform and store where you have The Witcher 3.

Phantom Liberty: a new problem inside Night City

Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty sends V into Dogtown and a spy story involving the president of the New United States, secret agents and competing loyalties. It is a stronger choice for someone who wants a new narrative to follow than for someone whose main wish is simply a larger map.

The setting brings fresh gigs and side quests alongside the central operation. Its appeal lies in deciding whom to believe and how far to follow them, with familiar shooting, stealth and hacking supporting that story. The expansion also adds the Relic skill tree, giving cyberware users new capabilities to consider.

One distinction matters before paying: the redesigned perks, revised police system and other major changes in Update 2.0 were free changes to the base game on supported platforms. Buying Phantom Liberty pays for its story and expansion content. If you only want to find out whether Cyberpunk’s changed systems suit you better, returning to the updated base game is a useful first step.

You can continue an existing save, or use the expansion’s new-game shortcut. That shortcut starts V at level 15 with equipment and attributes already assigned, with an option to redistribute the attributes. It saves replaying the opening, though a returning player may still need time to learn how the revised build works. Choose a session long enough to settle back into the controls and follow the opening story.

Phantom Liberty runs on Windows PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It does not run on PS4 or Xbox One, even though those consoles have the base game. Ultimate Edition also brings the base game and expansion together on Nintendo Switch 2 and compatible Apple Silicon Macs. The original Nintendo Switch is a different system; check the Mac requirements rather than assuming any Mac will work.

Shadow of the Erdtree: another land to learn

Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree is the choice for someone who misses finding a route through unfamiliar terrain, trying new equipment and learning a difficult opponent. The Land of Shadow adds a new region, bosses, weapons and spells. The invitation is to become curious about the next path again, and accept that some fights will take practice.

A powerful old character still has work to do. The expansion adds Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, which provide blessings that work within the new region. Exploring for those improvements is part of preparing for its enemies. That gives a returning player another reason to search beyond the direct route through the story, rather than relying entirely on levels earned before.

The entry requirement is more demanding than the shortcuts in the other two games. You must have defeated Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, to enter. Bandai Namco’s entry guide explains where to go without revealing the expansion’s later story. Check your save before treating the purchase as something you can start tonight.

This expansion suits someone who enjoyed Elden Ring’s learning process. A player who wants mainly dialogue and an easy route through a story should be more cautious. Time spent retrying a boss can be satisfying when solving the fight is the point; it feels very different when you hoped to see the next scene before bed.

It is available for Windows PC through Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The base Elden Ring game is required.

Check what is already in the library

The Witcher 3’s Complete Edition and Game of the Year edition include Blood and Wine. Cyberpunk 2077’s Ultimate Edition includes Phantom Liberty. Someone who owns one of those editions may already have the expansion waiting to be installed.

Elden Ring’s names need closer attention. Shadow of the Erdtree Edition includes the base game and expansion; the Premium Bundle includes the expansion with digital extras, without the base game. Check the contents, platform and store against the copy the player actually uses.

For a gift, ask about the save as well as the game. Knowing someone loved Elden Ring tells you less than knowing they have the required bosses defeated and want another challenge. Knowing someone owns Cyberpunk tells you less than knowing which console they play it on. A welcome return begins with a game they still want to play and an expansion they can actually enter.