CD Projekt Red has released a comprehensive list detailing the improvements included in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered. The developer shared this information with media outlets, categorizing the enhancements into visual, combat, quality of life, and miscellaneous updates.
The studio stated that while The Witcher 3 has seen continuous development since its initial launch, this Remastered version introduces an unprecedented number of extensive changes. These updates aim to enhance the experience for both new players and long-time fans.
Visual Enhancements
The game's world has received significant visual upgrades, including improved textures for environments, NPCs, and monsters. Enhancements to foliage, reworked lighting, and the introduction of ray tracing are designed to make the Continent more visually striking. PC players will benefit from Path Tracing, a technology that CD Projekt Red claims creates the most visually stunning version of The Witcher 3 to date. For PlayStation 5, the update supports PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) to enable a smooth 60 frames per second experience with ray tracing enabled.
Combat and Gameplay Overhaul
Combat mechanics have been overhauled to feel more modern, engaging, and responsive. The skill tree has been rebuilt entirely, offering new abilities and skills that provide greater flexibility and impact on player style. Combat animations have been revamped, introducing new finishers and an adaptive camera system for a more dynamic experience. Additionally, all five Witcher Signs—Aard, Igni, Yrden, Quen, and Axii—feature refreshed visual effects, and enemy behavior has been updated to create more immersive encounters.
Quality of Life and Miscellaneous Additions
Movement animations for Geralt and Roach have been overhauled for more fluid and realistic traversal. Geralt's Witcher Senses have been reworked for increased immersion, with new clues only appearing when focusing on specific elements. The user interface has also been refreshed, with an updated main menu for quicker access to features and more concise quest and tutorial notifications. A new transmogrification system allows players to change the appearance of weapons and armor without altering their stats, offering more freedom in character customization.
Among the miscellaneous improvements are an expanded photo mode with new poses, camera controls, and filters, as well as Mod.io integration for cross-platform mod support, opening the game to a wide range of custom content. The update also includes "Bard's Ballad," a new accessibility feature designed for players with cognitive limitations, which adjusts gameplay elements like automatic self-healing to better accommodate player needs.
The Nintendo Switch version will incorporate motion controls for casting Signs, firing the crossbow, and using bombs, along with gyro aiming for precision and touchscreen navigation for maps and menus. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered is available as a free update on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch beginning September 29.