Players who own a Nintendo Switch 2 can obtain a free digital copy of the recently released The Witcher 3 Remastered by utilizing an original physical copy of the game. This method has been verified by multiple users on Reddit, allowing access to the enhanced version of the popular RPG without requiring a digital purchase or even keeping the original cartridge.
The Witcher 3 Remastered update, which arrived on September 29 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, offers a significant overhaul of the 2015 title. For those who digitally own the original game on any platform, the remastered version is automatically included. However, the Switch 2 presents a unique opportunity for those who do not own the game outright.
According to reports, inserting the original Witcher 3 cartridge into the Switch 2 and launching the game prompts an upgrade to the remastered edition. Once the upgrade is initiated and the game is updated, players can then remove the physical cartridge. The digital remastered version remains accessible, and the original cartridge is no longer required to play. This has led to discussions about the potential for sharing physical copies among friends or borrowing them from libraries to access the free digital upgrade.
This exploit, if it can be called that, means that a single physical copy of The Witcher 3 on Nintendo Switch could theoretically be used to grant the remastered digital version to multiple players. After upgrading, a user could sell the cartridge or lend it to others, who could then repeat the process. It is considered unlikely that CD Projekt Red will patch this functionality, as it relies on the existing digital upgrade path for the Switch version.