A free remaster for a beloved classic
CD Projekt Red has announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered, a free upgrade for all players that will arrive on September 29, according to multiple reports. The announcement came as a surprise, described by Game Informer as a "free, massive upgrade coming out next month," and by GamesRadar+ as the big surprise at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026.
The remaster builds on the 2015 RPG that Polygon calls "legendary" and "often heralded as one of the best games of the century." Game Informer notes the game remains "one of the most beloved games of all time," but is "beginning to look a little dated" despite a next-gen update in 2022. The new version aims to address that with a substantial list of improvements.
What's included
The core enhancements, as reported by Game Informer and Polygon, include reworked combat with new finisher animations and new effects for Witcher signs, as well as "enhanced monster behaviors" for enemies. Traversal has been improved: Geralt can vault over fences and scale ladders, and horse riding now includes leaning to avoid trees, according to Polygon.
The skill tree has been revamped, and item management has been reworked. The remaster also adds a transmogrification feature, which lets players choose one set of armor for visual appearance and another for stats, as detailed by both Game Informer and Polygon.
Beyond these headline features, GamesRadar+ noted that the reveal trailer crammed in a list of 30 improvements, including immersive meditation, new quest tracking, UI improvements, a looting rework, refreshed motion blur, updated accessibility features, and a host of graphical enhancements such as ray tracing improvements, path tracing on PC, and NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 support. The list also includes PS5 Pro support, Xbox Play Anywhere, and exclusive features for Nintendo Switch 2.
A new photo mode is also included, as mentioned by both Polygon and Game Informer.
Who Gets It and When
The remaster is free for all owners of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Game Informer notes that players who don't already own the downloadable expansions will be able to download Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free as well, with the expansions included in the remaster. Polygon confirms that owners of the base version get the two expansions for free.
The free upgrade will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC on September 29, according to Game Informer. GamesRadar+ gives the same release date. However, Game Informer notes that Switch 1 is notably absent from platform listings.
Why Now
Polygon speculates that CD Projekt Red "clearly want to get as many players on The Witcher bandwagon as possible" ahead of the studio's upcoming releases, likely referencing the announced new DLC expansion for the game (mentioned by Game Informer) and other upcoming titles. The remaster may serve as an entry point for players before that arrival of these new content.
Perspectives
CD Projekt Red (via announcements and trailer): The studio positions the remaster as a comprehensive, free upgrade, with a substantial feature list including graphical overhauls, combat reworks, and expanded mod and performance support, intended to refresh the game for both returning and new players.
Players (as represented by journalists): Responses have been enthusiastic, with writers praising the scale of improvements, particularly the quality-of-life updates like quest tracking, UI, and looting, as well as the generous free inclusion of expansions.