The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered Releases September 29 with 40+ Improvements
Information current as of September 2026.
At Opening Night Live Gamescom 2026, CD Projekt Red surprised fans by announcing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered. The update launches September 29, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and for the first time on Battle.net. For all owners of the original game on these platforms, the upgrade will be completely free.
40+ Graphics and Gameplay Improvements
Remastered is the most significant update to The Witcher 3 since the next-gen patch in 2022. Developers prepared over 40 changes affecting visuals, combat system, interface, and technical aspects.
Key graphical improvements include updated textures, reworked lighting and global illumination, a new shading model, subsurface scattering, improved vegetation, and ray tracing support on PC and new-generation consoles. The PC version receives exclusive technologies: full path tracing, DLSS 4.5 with ray reconstruction, AMD FSR 4, Intel XeSS 2.0, and DirectX 12-based rendering.
Technical innovations include PS5 Pro support with improved performance, Xbox Play Anywhere for Microsoft console owners, and exclusive features for Nintendo Switch 2.
Reworked Combat and New Mechanics
Beyond visual improvements, Remastered touches gameplay systems. Combat mechanics received new finishers, improved animations, and a reworked skill system. Geralt's movement became smoother, and horse controls more responsive.
Monster behavior has also been reworked: creatures became more aggressive and unpredictable, making hunts more tense. New visual effects were added to witcher signs, and the quest tracking system received a modern interface.
Transmogrification deserves special attention — players can now change the appearance of equipment without losing stats. The expanded photo mode will allow for more detailed adventure snapshots.
Free DLC for Everyone
One of the biggest surprises of the announcement was CD Projekt Red's decision to make both story expansions — Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine — free for all base game owners. Previously sold separately, they will now be included in Remastered by default. New buyers will also receive the complete package immediately.
Saves from the original version remain compatible with Remastered, and cross-progression continues to work. Additionally, cross-platform mod support has been announced — players will be able to share modifications between different platforms.
Alongside the remaster, CD Projekt Red showed the first trailer for the Songs of the Past expansion, releasing in 2027, which will serve as a bridge between The Witcher 3 and the upcoming The Witcher 4.
Source: cdprojektred.com, techradar.com