If you need proof The Witcher 3’s new expansion is in safe hands, its lead writer literally wrote her thesis on Hearts of Stone: ‘To probably prove to some of my professors that games are worthy’
The Witcher 3’s upcoming expansion Songs of the Past will be led by Paula Mejsner from developer Fool’s Theory, whose credentials for the role are remarkably distinctive. Mejsner wrote her bachelor’s thesis in 2017 analyzing The Witcher 3’s first expansion, Hearts of Stone, examining how video games serve as a medium for experiencing literature. Her thesis, titled “Videogames as a way of experiencing literature: Analysis of the ‘Hearts of Stone’, a DLC to ‘The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt’,” was undertaken partly to demonstrate to her academic peers that games deserve scholarly consideration.
Nearly a decade after completing her academic analysis of Hearts of Stone, Mejsner is now directly involved in creating new content for the same franchise. This represents a unique situation where a game’s lead writer has previously studied and rigorously analyzed the same franchise’s existing work at an academic level, suggesting deep familiarity with its narrative structure and storytelling approach. Her decision to focus her thesis on Hearts of Stone before joining CD Projekt Red indicates both passionate engagement with the series and expertise in analyzing what makes its narratives compelling.
The appointment demonstrates publisher confidence in Mejsner’s understanding of The Witcher 3’s themes and narrative traditions. Her background provides distinctive insight into what readers and players find compelling about the game’s storytelling, making her well-positioned to create content that resonates with the franchise’s established fanbase.