The Witcher 3 Remastered is available today, September 29. Existing owners can upgrade at no charge on PC through Steam, GOG or the Epic Games Store, as well as on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Owners of the original Switch release can claim the new native Switch 2 version for free. CD Projekt RED's launch announcement confirms that Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are included even if you only bought the base game.
Returning to an old save? You do not have to start again. CD Projekt RED says existing saves remain compatible, although your skill points are reset so you can spend them again in the redesigned tree. Settings also reset, but previously earned achievements and trophies carry over.
What you will notice beyond the graphics
The official patch notes describe a skill tree built around prerequisites and three ranks per skill. Non-boss monsters have adjusted behavior, Geralt gets new finishers and a dynamic combat camera, and movement has been reworked for both him and Roach. Master craftsmen Yoana and Hattori can now change how equipment looks without changing its stats.
There are practical fixes for a long journey, too. You can collect loot without dismounting, combine nearby loot into one window, and track another quest directly from the map. Photo mode gains character placement, poses, and control over weather and time of day. We have not tested this build yet, so these are documented changes, not our assessment of performance or combat feel.
The platform differences matter
On PC, the upgrade adds path tracing, a more demanding approach to lighting, plus DLSS 4.5, FSR 4 and XeSS 2.0 support where compatible. System requirements have changed, making CD Projekt RED's updated specifications worth checking before choosing the highest settings. PS5 Pro's ray tracing mode targets 60 frames per second, while performance mode can reach up to 90 on a VRR-capable display. Those are the studio's targets, not independent results.
The native Switch 2 release uses motion controls, gyro aiming, Joy-Con 2 mouse input and the touchscreen for menus, the map and Gwent. CD Projekt RED has not provided comparable performance figures here, so it would be premature to rank the versions by frame rate. The screenshots in this article come from the studio's PC materials.
Do you need to buy it again?
Not if you already own The Witcher 3 in an eligible platform ecosystem. Remastered arrives as a new purchase on Battle.net and is sold through the Microsoft Store with Xbox Play Anywhere. New players still need to buy the game. The paid Songs of the Past expansion is separate and planned for 2027. Our earlier coverage explains what we know about Letten. For the original reveal and the promises made in August, see our Remastered announcement report.
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