The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Guide#
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remaster from CD Projekt Red rolled out worldwide as a free update on September 29, 2026, unlocking at 10:00 UTC (18:00 Beijing time). The release runs version 5.00 and currently holds a 94 Metacritic average at press time, the highest-rated new game of 2026 on the site.
This page compiles verified information about the remaster as of September 29, 2026: free upgrade rules, platform and technical features, combat and system changes, review scores, and the series roadmap. Dedicated sub-guides are being updated continuously.
Game Information#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Game | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Remaster) |
| Developer | CD Projekt Red |
| Publisher | CD Projekt |
| Original Release | 2015 |
| Next-Gen Update | December 2022 (added ray-traced global illumination, shadows, reflections, and HD textures) |
| Remaster Release | September 29, 2026, version 5.00, worldwide unlock at 18:00 Beijing time |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, GOG, Epic, Battle.net), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 |
| Genre | Action RPG |
| Expansions | Includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine |
| Metacritic | Remaster 94/100 (at press time, top-rated new game of 2026); original 92/100 |
| Install Size | PC full install (both expansions) roughly 70GB per Trusted Reviews; standalone Switch 2 download roughly 43.5GB; PS5/Xbox not officially announced |
A note on platforms: this marks the remaster’s debut on Battle.net (a partnership between CDPR and Blizzard) and the first native release on Switch 2.
Free Upgrade Rules#
The remaster is free for existing owners, with rules split by platform ecosystem:
| Platform | Upgrade Rule |
|---|---|
| PC (Steam / GOG / Epic) | Players who own the original within the same ecosystem receive the remaster automatically and for free |
| PS5 / Xbox Series X|S | Players who own the original within the same ecosystem receive the remaster automatically and for free |
| Original Switch | The native Switch 2 version can be claimed for free; existing saves carry over |
| Expansions | The remaster includes both Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine |
Ahead of launch, the original game was also discounted 50% (roughly $24.99), with deeper cuts of up to 74% on PC and 81% on Xbox (Scene Gamers, citing IGN). Buying the original now automatically grants the remaster.
PC Technical Upgrades and Console Features#
PC gains path tracing for the first time (a PC-exclusive feature), alongside the following graphics and framerate technologies:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Path Tracing | PC-exclusive, new with the remaster |
| DLSS 4.5 | Includes Ray Reconstruction |
| AMD FSR 4 | Frame generation, requires an RX 7000-series card or newer, otherwise falls back to FSR 2 |
| Intel XeSS 2.0 | Frame generation plus low latency |
| DirectX 12 | Native multithreaded rendering |
| GTAO | Ground-truth ambient occlusion |
| HDR | Updated calibration panel |
| Ray-Traced Local Shadows | New in the remaster |
| Ray-Traced HairWorks | Hair rendering now goes through ray tracing |
| DualSense Haptics | Supported on PC |
On console, the PS5 Pro supports PSSR and can hit 60fps with ray tracing enabled. For the Switch 2 version, CDPR has only highlighted a “magnitude” of performance improvement, with no specific framerate or resolution targets announced.
The remaster’s visual overhaul also integrates textures and models from The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project mod.
Combat and System Changes#
The remaster makes structural adjustments to combat and character systems:
- Rebuilt skill tree: The skill system has been restructured into a skill tree, with three ranks per skill, prerequisites, skill-point respecs, renamed skills, and rebalancing.
- Finisher animations: New execution finishers have been added.
- Visual refresh for all five Signs: Aard, Igni, Yrden, Quen, and Axii have all been visually overhauled.
- Enhanced common enemy behavior: Enemies such as wolves and drowners behave more aggressively.
- Dynamic camera: New dynamic combat and exploration cameras.
Transmog, Photo Mode, and Mod Support#
- Official transmog (called Reforge in-game): Changes appearance only, not stats, offered by blacksmith Yoana and armorer Hattori; Blood and Wine dyes remain usable.
- Greatly expanded photo mode: Reworked UI, character placement, poses and expressions, camera lock, environment presets, aspect ratio control, first-person camera, weather and time control, rule-of-thirds guides, and prop placement.
- mod.io cross-platform mod integration: Browse and install mods directly from the main menu, alongside REDkit engine improvements.
- New “Bard’s Ballad” accessibility preset: Includes faster health regeneration, infinite breath, no weight limit, faster boats, and more.
Movement and Riding Improvements#
- Geralt’s jumping, climbing, and vaulting animations have been refined.
- Roach’s riding feel has been improved, including on crowded streets such as those in Novigrad.
- Looting without dismounting is now supported.
System Requirements and Installation Notes#
Per CDPR’s patch notes, system requirements have been updated with the remaster, and the developer recommends installing the latest graphics drivers (NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel channels). A full updated minimum/recommended spec comparison table has not appeared in verifiable public sources, so this page does not speculate and defers to official store pages and patch notes.
For install size, official figures apply: roughly 70GB for the full PC install including both expansions (per Trusted Reviews), roughly 43.5GB as a standalone Switch 2 download, and no official console install sizes announced for PS5/Xbox.
Review Scores#
The remaster launched on September 29, 2026, with reviews going live the same day. Its Metacritic average sits at 94 at press time, temporarily topping the site’s 2026 new-release rankings ahead of Resident Evil 9: Requiem and Forza Horizon 6; the original game scored 92. One caveat: the remaster has fewer counted reviews than those two titles, so the score is still in flux (another tally put it at 95 on embargo day).
| Outlet | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer Germany | 100 |
| Combo Infinito | 100 |
| Noisy Pixel | 90 |
| GamingBolt | 90 |
| The Games Machine | 90 |
| Metacritic average | 94 (at press time) |
Known Criticisms#
Alongside the praise, the remaster has drawn clear criticisms, recorded here as published:
- The camera can be difficult to control.
- Minor UI bugs persist.
- Some players take issue with the art direction.
- Combat and movement still feel dated.
Release Background and Series Roadmap#
The remaster was surprise-announced during the gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, roughly a month before release. CDPR’s patch notes state that it lays the gameplay foundation for the paid Songs of the Past expansion.
| Date | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| September 29, 2026 | Remaster (version 5.00) free update on all platforms | Released |
| 2027 | Paid expansion Songs of the Past | Official roadmap |
| 2028 | The Witcher 4 | Official target |
For more on the sequel, see our Witcher 4 coverage.
Coverage Notes#
The information, upgrade rules, technical features, system changes, and roadmap on this page are based on multiple verified sources as of the September 29, 2026 remaster. The following items are not yet fully documented by official or verifiable sources, and this page will not speculate:
- Specific install sizes for PS5/Xbox console versions: not officially announced.
- Specific framerate/resolution targets for the Switch 2 version: no numbers announced.
- The full updated minimum/recommended spec comparison: pending official release.
- Concrete values in individual sub-guides: updated incrementally through verification, with no unverified figures published.
Reference Sources#
All facts on this page were verified through online research, with the primary sources below (research date: September 29, 2026):
| Source | Link | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Trusted Reviews | https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/one-of-the-best-games-ever-is-getting-a-huge-remaster-this-week | Release date, unlock time, platforms, free upgrade rules, file size, change list, roadmap |
| Wccftech | https://wccftech.com/the-witcher-3-remastered-incredible-path-tracing-combat-shows-age | Version 5.00, official feature list, path tracing, PSSR 60fps |
| Gamer Headlines | https://gamerheadlines.com/the-witcher-3-remastered-path-tracing-dlss-skill-tree | DLSS/FSR/XeSS details, skill tree rules, Reforge, photo mode, mod.io |
| NetEase (patch notes compilation) | https://www.163.com/dy/article/L7VD80HA05561FY6.html | Requirement changes, driver reminders, HD Reworked Project integration, expansion groundwork |
| Tech4Gamers | https://tech4gamers.com/the-witcher-3-remastered-highest-rated-game-2026 | Metacritic 94 and 2026 top-ranking context |
| 3DM via NetEase | https://www.163.com/dy/article/L7VIHQK00526D8LR.html | Cross-verification of the Metacritic 94 figure |
| EGW.News | https://egw.news/gaming/news/37510/ | Original game’s 92 comparison, outlet scores, criticisms |
| Gamersky | https://www.gamersky.com/news/202609/2218815.shtml | Embargo-day 95 tally, expansion title translation |
| Scene Gamers | https://www.scenegamers.com/en/artikel/the-witcher-3-jetzt-50-gunstiger-kostenloses-remaster-upgrade-folgt-am-29-september.html | Discount info, Battle.net debut |
Related Games#
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard — a classic fantasy RPG series
- Diablo 4 — a dark-style action RPG
- The Mound: Odesys’ Treasure — an exploration-puzzle adventure action RPG
- Cyberpunk 2077 — a sci-fi open-world action RPG from CDPR
- Skull and Bones — a pirate-themed open-world action game
Related Rankings#
Best RPGs of All Time · Best Open-World Games of All Time · Open-World Games Ranked by Map Size · Hardest Bosses in Gaming
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — main quest and side quest walkthroughs, Gwent card collection, treasure hunts, builds, and the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s The Witcher 3 section.