CD Projekt Red just confirmed at Gamescom 2026 that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is getting a full free upgrade on September 29, and if you own the game already, you won’t pay a cent for it. Reworked combat, sharper visuals, smarter enemies, and rebalanced loot are landing on a decade-old RPG that’s still one of the most played games on Steam — and a new story DLC, Songs of the Past, is already lined up for 2027. Here’s what’s actually changing and whether it’s worth booting the game back up.
What’s Actually New in The Witcher 3 Remastered
This isn’t just a lighting pass. CD Projekt Red says the update touches systems players have complained about since 2015, on top of the visual upgrade.
- Reworked combat that addresses long-standing complaints about clunky swordplay
- Improved enemy AI and behavior patterns
- Smoother movement and traversal
- Rebalanced loot drops
- Free upgrade for anyone who already owns the game on PC, PS5, Xbox Series, or the original Switch
- Available September 29 on Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and Battle.net, plus PS5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch 2
A separate paid expansion, Songs of the Past, doesn’t ship with the remaster — it’s coming in 2027. It shifts focus away from Ciri and onto Jaskier, who goes missing after a night out, sending Geralt to investigate the bard’s wealthy family estate in a new region called Letten. The DLC also adds a chain weapon that works as a lasso: pull enemies toward you, launch yourself at them, or briefly slow time to target a specific body part.
How the Witcher 3 Remaster Compares to the 2022 Next-Gen Update
The Witcher 3 already got a “next-gen” free update back in 2022 for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, so it’s fair to ask what’s different this time. The 2022 update was mostly about resolution, ray tracing, and load times — it didn’t touch combat mechanics in any meaningful way. This new remaster goes further by reworking the fighting itself and enemy behavior, which was the most common criticism of the original release even after 2022. It’s the difference between a visual refresh and CD Projekt actually going back into the game’s systems.
Nintendo Switch 2 Version: What to Expect
For players wondering if the Switch 2 can handle an open-world RPG this size, CD Projekt showed gameplay running at 1080p docked and 720p handheld, targeting 30-40 fps with VRR support in portable mode. The Switch 2 version also gets mouse control support and gyro options — tilt the Joy-Con to call Roach, or shake the controllers to control your horse’s gait. It’s a smaller resolution ceiling than PC or PS5/Xbox Series, but a notably more feature-complete port than most open-world games get on a hybrid console.
Who Should Play This
If you already own The Witcher 3 on any supported platform, there’s no real reason to skip this — it’s a free update, not a repurchase. It’s also a good entry point for anyone who’s never played it, since the reworked combat removes the biggest reason people used to bounce off the game early on.
Skip it, at least for now, if you’re only interested in the new story content: Songs of the Past isn’t part of the September update and won’t arrive until 2027. If your account is tied to the original Nintendo Switch, note you’ll need to redeem the upgrade through the eShop rather than getting it automatically.
Price & Where to Get It
The remaster itself is a free update for existing owners on Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, Battle.net, PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch 2, rolling out September 29, 2026. New buyers pay the game’s standard price and receive the remastered version by default. Songs of the Past will be a separate paid expansion when it launches in 2027; pricing hasn’t been announced yet.