All the Improvements to Visuals, Combat, and More

CD Projekt has released an official list of all the improvements made for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered.

The developer issued media with the updated list, which breaks the improvements down into four categories: visual, combat, quality of life, and miscellaneous. We’ve reproduced them below so you know what to expect when the game launches tomorrow, September 29.

We’ve also got the official The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered global release times, so you know when the game unlocks in your region, as well as the update download sizes so you can best prepare.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered Screenshots

“A lot has changed in the gaming world since The Witcher 3 first launched,” CD Projekt said in its note to the media. “We’ve continued to develop and improve the game over the years, with the last major update bringing the title to next-gen consoles. Never before, however, have we introduced so many extensive, far-reaching changes at once — Remastered is the first release of its kind for The Witcher 3.

“These changes affect every aspect of the game, with particular attention to exploration and combat mechanics. We’ve significantly improved a wide range of gameplay elements. Some features, such as the skill tree, have even been entirely rebuilt to ensure the best possible experience for both new and returning players. Whether this is your first time visiting the Continent or a long-awaited return to the Path, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered was created with you in mind.”

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered improvements:

VISUAL IMPROVEMENTS

From the sun-drenched hills of Beauclair to the snow-capped mountains of Skellige, the Continent has never looked so stunning. The world of The Witcher 3 is now more detailed than ever thanks to a range of visual improvements, while modernized lighting lets every location truly shine.

Upgraded Visuals and Performance — Remastered brings new detail and depth to every corner of the Continent with changes such as improved textures for the environment, NPCs, and monsters, major enhancements to foliage, and reworked lighting, rendering, and ray tracing.
Path Tracing (PC Exclusive) — Combined with other visual enhancements of Remastered, Path Tracing creates the most visually stunning version of The Witcher 3 ever made.
PS5 Pro Support — PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) enables a smooth 60 frames per second with ray tracing turned on, offering remarkable Visuals.

COMBAT IMPROVEMENTS

Overhauled combat feels modern, engaging, and more responsive than ever, and the skill tree—the heart of every RPG — has been rebuilt to radically improve player experience.

Reimagined Skill System — Discover brand-new abilities and skills with an overhauled skill tree that modernizes character progression, offering deeper flexibility and greater impact on your playstyle.
Improved Combat — With revamped animations, brutal new finishers, and an adaptive camera, the action feels more dynamic, fluid, and kinetic than ever before.
Sign Refresh — All five witcher signs — Aard, Igni, Yrden, Quen, and Axii — have been refreshed with exciting new visual effects.
Enemy Behavior Enhancements — Formerly routine encounters with enemies like wolves and drowners feel much more immersive and reactive thanks to updated enemy behavior.

QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS

Revamped movement animations, more engaging exploration, and a range of other gameplay enhancements make every adventure even more immersive than before.

Overhauled Animations — New animations for Geralt and Roach bring additional dynamism to movement and traversal, which now feels more fluid and realistic.
Witcher Senses Rework — Geralt’s witcher senses have been reworked with not just cleaner visuals but increased immersion, as new clues are only revealed by focusing on the right elements.
Refreshed UI — An updated main menu provides quicker access to key features, while refreshed quest and tutorial notifications keep new information clear and concise.
Transmog — Transmogrification allows weapons and armor to take on a new look without sacrificing their stats, bringing even more freedom to character Customization.

MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENTS

As part of Remastered, we’ve also introduced a range of other additions to The Witcher 3 that are worth highlighting. While they don’t fall under any one specific aspect of the game, they still represent significant additions to the overall experience.

Expanded Photo Mode — Make memories and capture thrilling moments with a wide array of photo mode options, including new poses, camera controls, frames, filters, models, and more.
Mod.io Integration — Cross-platform mod support opens the game up to a wealth of custom content. From new quests, weapons, and equipment to balance changes and more, mods create an entirely unique Witcher 3 experience.
Bard’s Ballad — Bard’s Ballad is a new accessibility feature designed for players with cognitive limitations such as attention deficits or cognitive fatigue. It adjusts selected gameplay elements to better accommodate players’ needs, for example by introducing automatic self-healing.

As for the Nintendo Switch 2 version, CD Projekt pointed to motion controls, which let players cast witcher Signs, fire the crossbow, throw bombs, drink potions, and speed up or stop Roach. Gyro aiming “offers greater precision in combat,” while mouse mode gives players another control option. The touchscreen can be used to navigate the map or game menus, and play Gwent.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered is available as a free update on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 from September 29. To ease you into Geralt’s life on the road, check out the Things the Witcher 3 Doesn’t Tell You, plus IGN’s The Witcher 3 Walkthrough and The Witcher 3 Endings guide, which outlines all of the major quests and choices in the base game and expansions (now bundled in with the Remastered edition). When you’re ready for the tough choices, check out our The Witcher 3 Sex and Romance guide to see who Geralt can smooch and all the opportunities to do so. And to make Geralt as strong a monster hunter as possible, check out all the Witcher Gear Locations, Places of Power Locations, and even Gwent Card Locations.