Updated 30 September 2026, 15:00
CD Projekt published the complete official rundown of everything that changes in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered a day before release, and the update is now out. The studio split the list into four blocks – visuals, combat, quality of life and miscellaneous additions – so you can see exactly what lands on your platform. According to CD Projekt, this is the single biggest batch of changes the game has ever received.
“A lot has changed in the gaming world since The Witcher 3 first launched,” the studio said, adding that while the game has been updated over the years – most notably with the next-gen release – it has never received this many far-reaching changes at once. The developer specifically points to exploration and combat, and says some systems, like the skill tree, were rebuilt from the ground up for both newcomers and returning players.
Visual improvements
- Upgraded visuals and performance – improved textures for environments, NPCs and monsters, major work on foliage, plus reworked lighting, rendering and ray tracing.
- Path Tracing (PC only) – combined with the other visual upgrades, CD Projekt calls this the best-looking version of The Witcher 3 ever made.
- PS5 Pro support – PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) targets a smooth 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled.
Combat improvements
- Reimagined skill system – an overhauled skill tree with brand-new abilities, more flexibility and a bigger impact on how you actually play.
- Improved combat – revamped animations, new brutal finishers and an adaptive camera for more dynamic, fluid fights.
- Sign refresh – all five signs (Aard, Igni, Yrden, Quen and Axii) get new visual effects.
- Enemy behavior enhancements – routine scraps with wolves or drowners should feel more reactive thanks to updated enemy behavior.
Quality of life
- Overhauled animations – new movement and traversal animations for Geralt and Roach.
- Witcher Senses rework – cleaner visuals, and clues are only revealed when you focus on the right elements.
- Refreshed UI – a reworked main menu with faster access to key features, plus clearer quest and tutorial notifications.
- Transmog – weapons and armor can take on a different look without losing their stats.
Everything else
- Expanded Photo Mode – new poses, camera controls, frames, filters, models and more.
- Mod.io integration – cross-platform mod support covering new quests, weapons, gear and balance tweaks.
- Bard’s Ballad – a new accessibility feature aimed at players with cognitive limitations such as attention deficits or cognitive fatigue; it adjusts selected gameplay elements, for example with automatic self-healing.
Nintendo Switch 2 gets motion controls
For the Switch 2 version, CD Projekt highlighted motion controls: you can cast signs, fire the crossbow, throw bombs, drink potions and speed up or stop Roach with them. Gyro aiming is meant to give you “greater precision in combat” and mouse mode adds another control option. The touchscreen can be used to move around the map and menus – and to play Gwent.
Patch 5.0 and eight bonus rewards
CD Projekt Red released patch 5.0 for the Remastered version, and alongside it you can pick up eight bonus rewards. The list includes the Scarlet Crest armor set, the Rabble-Rouser Hairstyle, a Wolf Mask and the comic The Witcher – Kiddo. The Rabble-Rouser Hairstyle and the Wolf Mask are exclusive to players who own Cyberpunk 2077.
To claim them you need to link your game account with a CD Projekt Red account; the rewards are listed on the official My Rewards page. The armor, swords and mask arrive after you finish the prologue in White Orchard, delivered by a letter from Yennefer, while the new hairstyle shows up at in-game barbers. On top of that, the Fire Horse gear set for Roach can be earned by watching 90 minutes of selected Twitch streams.
When and where
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered launched on September 29 as a free update on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. Both expansions are bundled in with the Remastered edition.
The interest is there: according to SteamDB data, more than 90,000 players were in the remaster concurrently on September 29 around 12:00 UTC.
Where to next
If you want to catch up on the wider franchise first, we keep all our The Witcher news in one place, and we covered the first Songs of the Past EP in a separate article.
FAQ
On September 29 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.
No. CD Projekt is releasing Remastered as a free update on all the listed platforms, and both expansions are included.
The skill tree has been rebuilt from scratch, with new abilities, more build flexibility and a bigger impact on your playstyle. Combat also gets new animations, new finishers, an adaptive camera and updated enemy behavior.
You need to link your game account with a CD Projekt Red account. The armor, swords and mask arrive via a letter from Yennefer after the prologue in White Orchard, the hairstyle is available at in-game barbers, and the Fire Horse set for Roach requires 90 minutes of watching selected Twitch streams. The Rabble-Rouser Hairstyle and Wolf Mask are exclusive to Cyberpunk 2077 owners.
No, Path Tracing is a PC-exclusive feature. PS5 Pro owners instead get PSSR, which targets 60 fps with ray tracing turned on.
Yes. The game integrates mod.io with cross-platform mod support covering new quests, weapons and equipment as well as balance changes.