{"id":23476,"date":"2026-08-26T15:08:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T15:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/igamemag.com\/the-witcher-3-remastered\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T14:13:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:13:41","slug":"the-witcher-3-remastered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/igamemag.com\/en-gb\/the-witcher-3-remastered\/","title":{"rendered":"The Witcher 3 Remastered: Out Now, Free Upgrade and PC Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Witcher 3 Remastered launched on 29 September 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, and it is out now. Announced during Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, the enhanced edition introduces upgraded graphics, reworked combat, improved movement, a redesigned skill tree, cross-platform mod support and numerous other gameplay improvements.<\/p>\n

Existing owners on PC and current-generation consoles get The Witcher 3 Remastered as a free upgrade. CD Projekt Red has also made the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions free for everyone who owns the base game, allowing players to experience Geralt\u2019s complete existing adventure before the new Songs of the Past expansion arrives in 2027.<\/p>\n

This is a more extensive overhaul than the free next-generation update released in 2022. Although it retains the original story and open world, the remaster changes character progression, combat animations, monster behavior, traversal, horse controls, lighting and other major systems.<\/p>\n\n

Is The Witcher 3 Remastered out now?<\/h2>\n

Yes. The Witcher 3 Remastered launched on 29 September 2026<\/strong> on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, as a free upgrade for existing owners. On PC it is available through Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store, and for the first time it can also be bought on Battle.net and on the Microsoft Store as an Xbox Play Anywhere title. On supported platforms, Remastered replaces the Complete Edition.<\/p>\n

The launch has been a huge success in terms of players. The Witcher 3 set a new all-time Steam record on 4 October, with more than 137,000 people playing at the same time, beating its previous peak from 2015. Early critic reviews have also been very positive.<\/p>\n

Launch week wasn’t entirely smooth on PC. Many AMD graphics card owners hit rendering problems on day one, which led to a wave of negative Steam reviews. AMD released a graphics driver fix within hours, and CD Projekt Red has been releasing hotfixes since launch, including work on PC lighting and console performance. If you’re on an AMD card, make sure your graphics driver is up to date before playing.<\/p>\n

The new expansion, Songs of the Past<\/strong>, is still scheduled for 2027.<\/p>\n

The Witcher 3 Remastered at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Information<\/th>\nDetails<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Release date<\/td>\n29 September 2026 (out now)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Developer<\/td>\nCD Projekt Red and Yigsoft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Genre<\/td>\nOpen-world action RPG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Platforms<\/td>\nPC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PC stores<\/td>\nSteam, GOG, Epic Games Store and Battle.net<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Existing-owner upgrade<\/td>\nFree on qualifying platforms<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Included expansions<\/td>\nHearts of Stone and Blood and Wine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New expansion<\/td>\nSongs of the Past in 2027<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cross-platform mod support<\/td>\nConfirmed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Multiplayer<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Announcement<\/td>\nGamescom 2026 Opening Night Live<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

CD Projekt Red unveiled the remaster alongside the first teaser for Songs of the Past, a third paid expansion that will take Geralt to the new region of Letten in 2027.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

When is The Witcher 3 Remastered release date?<\/h2>\n

The Witcher 3 Remastered released on 29 September 2026, and it is out now.<\/p>\n

The upgraded game launched simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. It also brought The Witcher 3 to Battle.net for the first time, through a partnership between CD Projekt Red and Blizzard Entertainment.<\/p>\n

The announcement came during Gamescom Opening Night Live on 25 August, giving players approximately five weeks between the reveal and release.<\/p>\n\n

Watch The Witcher 3 Remastered trailer<\/h2>\n\"The(opens in new tab)<\/span><\/a>\n

(opens in new tab)<\/span><\/p>\n

The trailer demonstrates the improved environments, combat animations, lighting and character models while revisiting familiar locations from Geralt\u2019s original adventure.<\/p>\n

Although the changes are visually substantial, the remaster does not replace the original story. Players will still follow Geralt\u2019s search for Ciri while travelling across Velen, Novigrad, Skellige and the other established regions.<\/p>\n\n

Is The Witcher 3 Remastered a free upgrade?<\/h2>\n

Yes. The Witcher 3 Remastered is a free upgrade for existing owners on current-generation platforms.<\/p>\n\n

\"The

Existing The Witcher 3 owners will receive the remastered upgrade for free.<\/p><\/div>\n

CD Projekt Red’s official FAQ confirms exactly who gets the upgrade:<\/p>\n\n\n
Where you own The Witcher 3<\/th>Remastered upgrade<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n
PC on Steam, GOG or Epic Games Store<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>\n
PlayStation 5<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>\n
Xbox Series X|S<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>\n
Original Nintendo Switch<\/td>Free native Nintendo Switch 2 version<\/td><\/tr>\n
PlayStation 4 \/ Xbox One<\/td>Not available: Remastered is only on current-generation platforms<\/td><\/tr>\n
New players<\/td>Buy it on Steam, GOG, Epic, Battle.net, the Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store or Nintendo eShop<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are included, even if you only ever owned the base game. Achievements you’ve already earned carry over, because Remastered is an updated version of the same game. The free Switch 2 upgrade and free expansions are not offered in Russia or Belarus.<\/p>\n\n

Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are now free<\/h2>\n

All owners of The Witcher 3 base game can now access Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine without paying an additional fee.<\/p>\n

This means players no longer need the Complete Edition to access the two existing expansions.<\/p>\n\n

\"Hearts

The acclaimed Hearts of Stone expansion is included with The Witcher 3 Remastered.<\/p><\/div>\n

Hearts of Stone<\/h3>\n

Hearts of Stone follows Geralt after he accepts a dangerous contract involving the immortal Olgierd von Everec and the mysterious Gaunter O\u2019Dimm.<\/p>\n

The expansion provides a more concentrated story than the main game, with difficult choices and one of the series\u2019 most memorable antagonists.<\/p>\n\n

\"Blood

Blood and Wine is included with The Witcher 3 Remastered.<\/p><\/div>\n

Blood and Wine<\/h3>\n

Blood and Wine takes Geralt to Toussaint, a colorful region hiding a series of violent murders beneath its picturesque appearance.<\/p>\n

It contains a substantial new map, quests, monsters, equipment and character-progression systems. Its size makes it closer to a standalone adventure than a conventional DLC pack.<\/p>\n

Both expansions are included in Remastered, so every owner gets the complete existing storyline.<\/p>\n\n

\"The

The Witcher 3 Remastered brings upgraded visuals to Geralt\u2019s open-world adventure.<\/p><\/div>\n

Upgraded visuals and ray tracing<\/h2>\n

The Witcher 3 Remastered includes another significant visual overhaul.<\/p>\n

Confirmed graphical improvements include:<\/p>\n\n