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The Witcher 3 Remastered looks amazing and it’s free if you own the original

CD Projekt Red has announced a remastered version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt launching September 29 across major platforms, available as a free upgrade to existing owners along with the previous expansions. The update overhauls graphics, combat, movement and other systems, while a new expansion titled Songs of the Past is slated for 2027 in the region of Letten. The titles will also arrive on Battle.net with a linked Diablo IV reward.

By Tertius News AI Desk 2 outlets · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage Aug 25, 2026 Published 1h ago

Announcement and Release Details

CD Projekt Red unveiled a remastered edition of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt during the Gamescom Opening Night Live event. According to reporting from both InvenGlobal and metro.co.uk, the remastered version is scheduled to launch on September 29. InvenGlobal stated that the release covers PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. Metro.co.uk similarly confirmed the September 29 date and noted availability on those platforms, adding that a native version will appear on Nintendo Switch 2 the same day.

Existing owners of the original game are eligible for a free upgrade. Metro.co.uk reported that the free path applies to owners on GOG, Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, and that owners of the Nintendo Switch 1 version can claim the remaster at no cost on Switch 2. InvenGlobal likewise stated that existing game owners qualify for the free upgrade. Both outlets reported that owners of the base game will also receive the earlier expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine free of charge.

Metro.co.uk observed that the original Witcher 3 launched 11 years ago. The remaster was developed by the external studio Yigsoft, according to the same outlet. CD Projekt developer Miles Toast appeared on stage at the event and described a revamped ability system, metro.co.uk reported.

Gameplay and Technical Upgrades

The remaster introduces a range of improvements beyond visuals. InvenGlobal and metro.co.uk both described upgraded graphics together with changes to combat, movement and traversal. InvenGlobal detailed new Witcher sign effects, revamped mount controls and enhanced monster behavior. It further noted a revamped skill tree that includes a transmogrification feature for altering equipment appearances, an expanded photo mode and new execution animations.

Metro.co.uk similarly listed adjustments to combat, traversal, horse-riding and the skill tree. The outlet recalled that the original release drew criticism for its combat and for an awkward inventory system; it noted that while combat receives attention in the remaster, no specific mention was made of inventory changes in the materials shown. The overall effect, as described across the coverage, is a modernization of Geralt’s adventure for current-generation hardware.

Songs of the Past Expansion

Alongside the remaster, CD Projekt Red provided first details on a new expansion called Songs of the Past. InvenGlobal reported that the expansion is scheduled to be revealed in 2027 and is set in a new region named Letten. Metro.co.uk likewise placed the expansion in Letten and identified Fool’s Theory—a studio composed of many Witcher veterans—as its developer. That outlet added that Fool’s Theory is also said to be working on a remake of the first Witcher game.

InvenGlobal described Letten as an idyllic land of bountiful harvests and grand festivals that conceals a dark secret, forcing Geralt to confront an evil long dormant there. The expansion will introduce previously unseen enemies, new abilities and a chain weapon for Geralt. Metro.co.uk noted that the chain serves as a nod to the introductory sequence of the original Witcher game and that Letten is the continent from which the character Dandelion originates. Both sources indicated that returning characters will appear and that player choices and their consequences form a central part of the narrative. Metro.co.uk characterized suggestions that the expansion could serve as a story bridge to The Witcher 4 as speculative.

Battle.net Availability and Blizzard Collaboration

The remastered game and the forthcoming expansion will be available on Battle.net, according to both InvenGlobal and metro.co.uk. InvenGlobal reported that purchasing the expansion on Battle.net will unlock a Geralt-themed skin for Diablo IV. Further details of the collaboration are expected to be shared at BlizzCon in September, the same outlet stated.

The announcements position the remaster as an accessible way for longtime players to return to the title with updated systems while preparing the ground for additional story content years from now.

How each outlet told it

InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC

Framing: Highlights the release date and future expansion reveal, emphasizing the remaster and the 2027 reveal. — Neutral, informative; descriptive of features without overt enthusiasm or criticism.

Facts Included:

Remastered version launches September 29 on PC, PS5, XSX|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Existing game owners eligible for free upgrade.
Owners of base game receive previous expansions 'Hearts of Stone' and 'Blood and Wine' for free.
Remaster features upgraded graphics, combat, movement, traversal, Witcher sign effects, mount controls, and monster behavior.
Skill tree revamped with transmogrification feature, expanded photo mode, and new execution animations.
New expansion 'Songs of the Past' to be revealed in 2027, set in new region Letten.
Letten described as idyllic with dark secret, forcing Geralt to confront evil.
Expansion introduces new enemies, chain weapon, returning characters, and player choices/consequences.
Collaboration with Blizzard: game available on Battle.net, purchasing expansion on Battle.net gives Geralt-themed skin for Diablo IV.
Further details to be announced at BlizzCon in September.

Read the source article →

metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC

Framing: Emphasizes that the remaster looks amazing and is free for original owners, highlighting the value proposition. — Enthusiastic and approving; uses phrases like 'excellent news' and 'best news' to convey positive sentiment.

Facts Included:

Remastered version is free if you own the original on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox Series X/S.
Free upgrade also for Nintendo Switch 2 if you own the Switch 1 version.
Remaster includes changes to combat, traversal, horse-riding, skill tree, and more.
Criticism of original's combat and inventory system.
Developer Miles Toast appeared on stage and described revamped ability system.
Existing expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are free.
Remaster release date is September 29.
Expansion Songs of the Past developed by Fool's Theory, made up of Witcher veterans.
Fool's Theory also supposedly working on Witcher 1 remake.
Chain weapon is a nod to original Witcher game's intro.
Expansion takes place on continent of Letten, where Dandelion is from.
Expansion may be a story bridge to The Witcher 4, but this is a theory.
External developer Yigsoft made the remaster.
Original game is 11 years old.
Battle.net availability mentioned.

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimThe remastered version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will launch on September 29.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC, metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe remastered version will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X\|S.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimA native version of The Witcher 3 Remastered will be released on Nintendo Switch 2 on the same day.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimExisting owners of the original game are eligible for a free upgrade to the remastered version.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe free upgrade is available to owners on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimOwners of the Switch 1 version can claim the remaster for free on Nintendo Switch 2.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimOwners of the base game will receive the previous expansions 'Hearts of Stone' and 'Blood and Wine' for free.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC, metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe remaster features upgraded graphics and combat, improved movement and traversal, new Witcher sign effects, revamped mount controls, and enhanced monster behavior.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC, metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe remaster includes a revamped skill tree with a transmogrification feature, an expanded photo mode, and new execution animations.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe original game was criticized for its weak combat.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe original game was criticized for its awkward inventory system.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimCD Projekt developer Miles Toast appeared on stage and described a revamped ability system.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe remaster was developed by external developer Yigsoft.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe Witcher 3 was released 11 years ago.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe new expansion 'Songs of the Past' is scheduled for release in 2027.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe expansion 'Songs of the Past' takes place in the new region Letten.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC, metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimLetten is described as an idyllic region of bountiful harvests and grand festivals, with a dark secret hidden beneath.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe expansion forces Geralt to confront an evil long dormant in Letten.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe expansion introduces previously unseen enemies.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe expansion introduces new abilities.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimA chain appears as a new weapon for Geralt in the expansion.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC, metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe chain weapon is a nod to the original Witcher game's intro.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimReturning characters will feature in the expansion, with player choices and consequences forming a key part of the story.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimThe expansion is developed by Fool's Theory, which includes many Witcher veterans.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimFool's Theory is also supposedly working on The Witcher 1 remake.	ConfidenceMedium	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe expansion may act as a story bridge to The Witcher 4, but this is only a theory.	ConfidenceLow	StatusSingle-source via metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe Witcher 3 Remastered and Songs of the Past will be available on Battle.net.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC, metro.co.uk as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC
ClaimPurchasing the expansion on Battle.net will provide a special Geralt-themed skin for use in Diablo IV.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC
ClaimFurther details about the collaboration will be announced at BlizzCon in September.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via InvenGlobal as of Aug 25, 2026, 10:18 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

2 outlets · 2 articles consulted: InvenGlobal, metro.co.uk 29 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-25