It may be an old save, but returning to The Witcher 3 is about to feel a little different for long-time players.
The Witcher 3: Wildhunt is getting another substantial overhaul more than a decade after its original release. CD Projekt RED revealed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered during Gamescom Opening Night Live, confirming that the remaster will launch on 29 September, 2026 as a free upgrade for existing owners on qualifying platforms.
Alongside the remaster, CD Projekt RED also announced that Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are now available at no additional cost to everyone who owns the base game.
The Witcher 3 Remastered will be free for existing owners
The Witcher 3 Remastered includes upgrades across visuals, combat, traversal and several of the RPG's existing systems. Speaking during an onstage interview at Gamescom Opening Night Live, CD Projekt RED level design lead Miles Tost highlighted new textures, updated rendering, advanced path tracing and improved foliage among the visual changes. "Geralt has never looked as good even after all those years of retirement," Tost said.
Combat is also being updated with a new camera and targeting system, additional animations and new finishers. Tost described the changes as making combat more modern, smooth and precise. The ability system has been completely revamped as well, giving players more options when developing Geralt.
Other additions and changes shown in the announcement include improved traversal and movement, new Witcher Sign effects, revamped Roach handling, enhanced monster behaviours, a skill tree revamp, transmogrification and an expanded photo mode.
The remaster is being co-developed with Yigsoft, a co-development company based in Hungary, which has previously worked on The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.
The Witcher 3 Remastered platforms and release date
The Witcher 3 Remastered launches on 29 September for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with the upgrade available free to existing owners on qualifying platforms. The release will also bring The Witcher 3 to two new platforms. A native Nintendo Switch 2 version will launch on the same day, with pre-orders already available, while the game is also coming to Battle.net. The Nintendo Switch 2 release marks the first native version of The Witcher 3 for the platform.
The Witcher 3 DLCs Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are now free
Players who only own the base game are also getting considerably more to play before the remaster arrives. Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are now available at no additional cost to everyone who owns The Witcher 3, adding both of its existing expansions to the base game.
"I can say today that tonight, both of our previous expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, will be free for everyone who owns the base game," Tost confirmed during the Gamescom interview.
The remaster's improvements will apply across the expansions as well. That will also include the upcoming Songs of the Past when it launches in 2027. CD Projekt RED also shared the free expansion announcement through The Witcher 3's Steam page.
Want to find out what Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 had in store? Read our article rounding up the biggest announcements and trailers from Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026.
