In 2015, we released our very first open-world game: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Not only did the warm and widespread acclaim take us by surprise, we also did not expect the game to concrete itself in the zeitgeist for as long as it has. We knew we were making a game that was innovative and showed our own take on what an open-world RPG could be, but we didn’t know that it would find its place in the hearts of so many others — and stay there.
First and foremost, we would like to thank every single person who has invested their time into playing Wild Hunt over the years.
Without you, we wouldn’t be here today, releasing this next-gen update to such a beloved game.
With The Witcher 3 being upgraded with the power of PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and modern PCs in mind, we are thrilled to be able to introduce this game to a new generation of players — while also hopefully rekindling the love of those who may not have gone monster slaying for some time. And if you already own the game on PC, PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you’re able to upgrade to the next-gen version of the game for free, so it couldn’t be easier for you to jump in and see what’s new on the latest machines.
Whether this is your introduction into The Witcher universe, or you’re a seasoned veteran, this short booklet should be the perfect introduction to this sprawling, immersive, epic RPG — with a rundown of exactly what’s been included with this next-gen update. So, let’s get started.
The world of The Witcher is full of fantastical creatures, magic, bloodthirsty beasts, and ruthless rulers who will stop at nothing to pursue their ambitions. This world has its own rules and a rich, fascinating history that makes it such a bountiful place to tell stories.
In this chapter, we have prepared a short compendium of knowledge about this mysterious world that will help you immerse yourself even more in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — or get to know it, if it’s your first time with the franchise.
This chapter also includes a short summary of the events from The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. But don’t worry — while The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the third entry in the series, this doesn’t mean you need to know anything about the previous two games to enjoy the experience. Of course, knowing characters, moments — and the consequences of different choices — from the previous games will certainly be a boon, Wild Hunt was designed to make sure everything is still understandable to newcomers. References to former relationships and past characters do occur, but they don’t impede on your enjoyment of the experience, and there are usually dialogue branches you can dive into (not to mention the in-game database) to learn more about people, places, and events from the past. Our goal was to create a title whose plot is fully understandable to people who have never stepped foot in the world of The Witcher before.
Long before humans appeared, the Continent was inhabited by gnomes, dwarves, and elves. They were the first to create kingdoms and civilizations, which developed and flourished over the centuries. This established order was thrown into upheaval by the magical cataclysm known as the Conjunction of the Spheres, which destroyed the previous barriers between worlds and introduced magic to the Continent. With it too came humans, previously strangers to this land.
Humans were at first weak and bewildered by their new circumstances, but their numbers grew dramatically and they began conquering the new world. By the events of this game, they have a stronghold in almost every part of the Continent. The era of elves, dwarves, and other races has passed — they are now minorities in their own world, discriminated against and even hunted. Some non-humans have been reduced to living as second-class citizens, while others have banded together to wage guerrilla warfare against humans.
This is not the only conflict plaguing the Continent: the Northern Kingdom is embroiled in a bitter war against the Nilfgaardian Empire, which for years has been expanding its territories through constant conquest. The Nilfgaardian Emperor Emhyr var Emreis is unparalleled in his political ambitions and ruthless in his fulfillment of them. He and Geralt of Rivia have little in common, except their shared desire to find Ciri — Emhyr’s daughter by blood, Geralt’s adopted daughter by the even greater bond created through the Law of Surprise.
The Continent is a place where magic and ambition are quashed under its harsh realities and political machinations. In this brutal, conflict-ridden world, the past casts an ugly shadow over the present. Now as never before, it threatens the lives of its populace.
Witchers are professional monster hunters, given superhuman abilities through a grueling and often deadly process known as the Trial of the Grasses. Their bodies age much slower than humans, allowing them to live centuries, and they are immune to most diseases and poisons. Other advantages for those who survive the mutation process include seeing in the dark, inhuman reflexes, and heightened senses. Ciri is the first female witcher, despite never undergoing any mutations.
Witchers were created to fight the monsters that inhabited the Continent after the Conjunction of the Spheres. The Mage Alzur, whose full story can be explored in GWENT: Rogue Mage, was the first to create witchers, though their actual training takes place in witcher schools. Some of the most famous include the Wolf, Viper, Griffin, and Cat Schools. Traveling through the world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, you can discover a variety of armor belonging to representatives of each of these schools — it’s worth collecting them for the special properties they are imbued with.
A Witcher’s purpose is to hunt and kill monsters that threaten human life. Despite this seemingly noble calling, they are treated with distrust and even disdain by the people who set out contracts for them to fulfill. Though they are most often met with prejudice in their line of work, they do not shirk from their duty and follow a personal moral code, which involves remaining neutral to the changing course of history.
Witchers are seen as a dying breed, a profession whose purpose is being outlived, and one of its last representatives is Geralt of Rivia, known also as the White Wolf.
A few years after his supposed death, Geralt of Rivia unexpectedly appears outside of the witcher fortress Kaer Morhen.
All anyone is able to ascertain is that he has lost his memory — and that he’s being pursued by the ghostly cavalcade known as the Wild Hunt. Thanks to the help of the sorceress Triss Merigold, he flees to safety. This series of events begins the first Witcher game.
Soon after fleeing the fortress, Geralt is attacked by a mysterious organization known as the Salamandra, which had managed to steal the secrets of witcher mutations for years kept hidden inside Kaer Morhen. Geralt follows their tracks to recover the stolen secrets, becoming embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens the future of the Continent.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings begins with Foltest’s siege on the castle La Valette. The king once again faces assassins, though this time it is they who emerge victorious, and their swift disappearance means that Geralt is the one who stands accused of regicide. Thrown into the castle dungeons, he quickly escapes and seeks out the true killers so as to clear his own name.
Geralt’s journey to finding the truth of King Foltest’s murders results in success and a partial return of his memory. He discovers that the Nilfgaardian Empire stands behind the murder, and their hired assassins were witchers from the now-defunct Viper School. The murder of the king’s assassins ushers in a new, bloody chapter of history— Nilfgaard declares war on the Northern Kingdom, drowning the Continent in chaos and violence once more.
Many adventures later, the White Wolf manages to destroy the Salamandra and prevent them from creating a new race of monsters, meant to usher in a new order in the Continent. His victory is noticed by Temeria’s King Foltest, who invites Geralt to a celebration of his deeds. The seemingly innocent dinner culminates in an attempt on the king’s life, though thanks to Geralt’s presence, he survives unscathed. Until the would-be assassins are caught, Foltest appoints Geralt as his personal guard.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt begins with armies marching through the Continent, destroying everything in their path. Monsters are the ones who reap the rewards of this destruction, living off the corpses left in the army’s wake — or even the remaining survivors of the conflict. Everyday life, which had already been difficult, became exponentially harder under foreign occupation. Hope and freedom became a rare luxury for people to have; the chaos of war became far more familiar. In this difficult, ruthless time, Geralt of Rivia begins his search for his beloved: the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg.
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Geralt of Rivia undertakes the most difficult quest of his life — he must find his adopted daughter Ciri, who is being relentlessly hunted by the fearsome riders known as the Wild Hunt. In order for him to achieve this daunting task, he must embark into a world filled with mysteries, magic, and dangerous foes. And you’re right there alongside him. It’s a long, arduous journey full of emotionally resonant scenes, spectacular battles, and breathtakingly beautiful sights — something you’ll never forget!
When you begin a new game of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (assuming you have no save data from the previous game on the same machine) you’ll be presented with a choice: “Simulate Witcher 2 Save?” — this is where you get to pick whether your Geralt will come “pre-loaded” with key decisions from The Witcher 2 already decided for him. Think of it as the game taking the reins on Geralt’s past for you, and interactions or events in Wild Hunt related to these decisions will play out just as if you would have experienced them yourself.
If you choose “ON” — to simulate a save — you will have the chance to choose for yourself early on in the game in the form of dialogue choices, where Geralt explains certain events to another character in the Royal Palace of Vizima. And even if you’re unaware of the events being referenced, it might be handy to hear these for yourself and see how Geralt responds depending on your choices. But what’s most important in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the journey that awaits. The story of Geralt as he tries to track down his adopted daughter, Ciri — and all the choices, consequences, and stories that unfold throughout.
As a story-driven, open-world, action-adventure RPG which takes place from a third-person perspective, there are multiple tenets which make up the overall gameplay experience of the Wild Hunt, so let’s start there.
The open world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt contains multiple regions and distinct areas — these being the lands of Velen which contains the city state of Novigrad, and the Isles of Skellige. In the beginning, you will be sequestered into an area in Velen known as White Orchard, where you will get to grips with the basic mechanics of the game. As you progress, you will open up more of the world and, after a certain point, be able to freely travel the entire map at your will.
Exploration covers traversal on foot, by horseback, by boat, or by fast travel to places you have already discovered. The fast travel system works by using the many signposts on the map, typically located close to important areas such as villages, cities, landmarks, and so on. The world of Wild Hunt is teeming with secrets and places of interest. Some of these will be marked on the in-game map with a question mark, while others will be up to you to find. You may travel to high, jagged mountain peaks in search of crucial items, or swim and dive the multitude of waterways or cave systems in search of treasure and resources. Whether you’re following icons on the map or just going your own way and following your heart, exploration in Wild Hunt is always encouraged. Who knows what you might stumble upon…
As you explore the vast lands of the Continent, your Witcher Senses will prove invaluable. Witchers have elevated senses — far beyond that of your typical human.
A witcher can hear and smell monster activity with acute sensitivity, and can see trails left by others which non-witchers would entirely miss. Throughout the game you will use your Witcher Senses to follow trails, identify interactable objects and clues, and locate monsters who may be lurking nearby.
Your witcher medallion is also a useful tool for discovery
— it will vibrate when magic is nearby, and also when you come close to a “Place of Power”, locations with magical energy you can draw from, aiding character growth and boosting certain abilities.
Geralt is a witcher. A professional monster slayer. He earns a living by killing deadly monsters which plague the world and threaten innocents around the Continent. While the bulk of his profession deals with monster contracts, this is not to say that Geralt does not encounter hostile humans, too. Fortunately, whatever the foe, his witcher training makes him a formidable swordsman — which you will soon learn for yourself as you plunge into battle with him. While combat is not always the definitive way to resolve every situation, it would be foolish to expect your time in the Continent to be one of peace. There are many means of combat in Wild Hunt, and knowing what to use and when will be key to survival.
In the many battles that await, your swords will be indispensable to you. Geralt carries two swords: silver for monsters, and steel for when he must face humans or non-humans (such as wolves and other non-magical entities). He will automatically equip the right one for the job depending on the enemy he is facing — and you can see from the color of their health bar which sword is the right tool (red for steel, white/silver for silver).
However, swords are not the only thing you have at your disposal. You’ll also be able to craft numerous bombs — which can be used to demolish monster nests around the Continent, target weaknesses of certain enemy types, and more — and you’ll also quickly gain access to a crossbow. This is a particularly useful tool when fighting flying enemies or when being attacked while underwater.
In addition to the force and technique of swordsmanship, Geralt also has the use of Signs as his disposal.
These are rudimentary hand-cast magical spells used in and out of combat to gain an advantage. These are:
A small flame blast that can ignite enemies as well as light candles and fires.
A telekinetic blast used to stun, knock down, and interrupt enemies.
Casting Yrden on solid ground creates a magical area which slows down monsters and forces non-corporeal entities to become corporeal, making them much easier to attack.
A shield which can absorb small amounts of damage from direct hits both physical and magical in nature.
Used to calm or manipulate. People who prove difficult in conversation can be swayed to be more docile with Axii, and enemies (animals and monsters included) can also be stunned or slowed in combat thanks to Axii’s disorienting effects.
For a witcher, preparation is key. Before a battle, it’s imperative to know your enemy and take advantage of their weaknesses — and protect yourself from their strengths. By collecting ingredients and crafting different potions and oils, you can gain extra benefits in battle; from dealing extra damage to a certain enemy class by coating your sword in a particular oil, to improving stamina recovery, giving yourself better sight in the dark, protecting yourself from poison, and more. Crafting potions and oils will come in handy throughout your entire adventure, and could well be the difference between life and death.
In our games, player choice is pivotal. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, choices come in many forms. From small conversations you assumed were harmless, to major, timed decisions at the climax of a long and complex questline — your choices may have consequences immediate or far-reaching.
They may change the rewards you earn, the characters you meet or become allied with, ending states of the game, fates of important characters, and more. Through choice and consequence, your experience of the game may differ significantly to that of others, and they will also influence Geralt to some extent; you choose how your Geralt handles conversation, talks to certain people, and what his moral compass aligns with. Not every choice is obvious, and even subtle ones may have grander implications than you expect.
While Geralt starts out as a competent witcher from the get-go, there is plenty of room for progression. Character development — how you choose to mold your Geralt as you progress through the game — covers many facets, from skills and leveling up to weapon & armor crafting. Some quests and enemies may be a much higher level than you are (denoted by the level number in your quest log, and the level number on an enemy’s health bar — or a skull, for extreme enemies), and while you’re welcome to try anything at any time, careful development of your character will be core to a steady progression through the game.
Wild Hunt is an RPG, so growing your character is key to progression. You gain experience from completing quests and contracts, not from killing foes, and when you level up you gain an Ability Point, which can be invested into an ability of your choosing from 5 categories. These categories cover many aspects of your arsenal, from combat-oriented abilities effecting sword attacks, bombs, and crossbows, to abilities which improve your alchemy, signs, and more. You can only hold 12 abilities in total, with slots unlocking at different character levels. Abilities are color coded by category, and supplementing abilities of certain colors with a mutagen of the same color will boost the effects of those abilities.
After beginning the Blood and Wine expansion and completing the quest Turn and Face the Strange, you’ll unlock a new supplementary leveling system in the CHARACTER menu, which allows you to spend skill points and use mutagens for new buffs related to your witcher mutations.
As you progress, you’ll need to improve your equipment. Swords and armor can be crafted if you have the blueprints and the correct crafting materials — and you’ll need to visit a blacksmith or armorer to make them for you. These merchants will also sell crafting supplies as well as armor and weapons. They can also dismantle materials for you, salvaging raw crafting materials from items you no longer need.
Always be on the lookout for better equipment. If you’re not doing as much damage as you want, perhaps a new sword with different stats is in order. You can also use blacksmiths and armorers to repair your equipment too. Plus, you can buy repair kits to improve your equipment’s condition on the spot when out in the open world. Whenever you’re in a city, town, or village, make sure to stop by different merchants to see if there is anything you can use to better equip yourself — while also making some coin by selling stuff you don’t need!
How you spend your free time between quests is naturally up to you — and you’ll find recurring minigames throughout the world which you can partake in for pleasure, or to earn coin. You’ll have opportunities to compete in these minigames during main or side quests, too.
Step into any tavern in the Continent and you’re likely to find someone hankering for a round or two of Gwent. This card game (which inspired the standalone multiplayer title GWENT: The Witcher Card Game) is a popular pastime in the world of Wild Hunt. It presents an opportunity to earn coin, win collectible Gwent cards, and even impress certain characters who value a keen Gwent mind more than any sword technique.
Many towns boast a local fistfighting ring, often organized outside the town’s main — or only — tavern. Defeating the local champions opens up more fights, and when traveling to a new region, Geralt can always take a look at the notice board to see if there are any organized in the area. Fistfights also occur during the central story, either as a method of winning a bet, impressing a brawn-minded character, or knocking out an enemy.
A pastime beloved by the aristocracy, who are often the ones to challenge Geralt to a race. Much like with fistfighting, betting is encouraged, though a win on the racetrack can also unlock unique rewards, often in the form of a better, more expensive saddle. Gear for Roach, Geralt’s horse, tends to be expensive, and through these wins, Geralt is able to carry more equipment with him or gallop through the wilderness for longer periods of time.
was raised in Kaer Morhen, and it was in this legendary keep where he also trained to become a witcher — a wandering monster slayer for hire — under the banner of the Wolf School. He is one of the last remaining active witchers, and undoubtedly one of the most skilled to have ever entered into the profession.
His striking white hair — along with his cat-like yellow eyes — are the result of multiple experiments he underwent during his training. Through repeated mutations incurred as part of the punishing Trial of the Grasses, Geralt was turned into a near-flawless warrior few can hope to match in battle. Generally cold and stoic, his speed, athleticism, and mastery in both swordplay and the combat magic known as ‘signs’ make him a dangerous opponent even when compared to other witchers. He has been traveling the world for decades, putting monsters — both human and beasts alike — to his steel and silver swords. His body is swathed in scars, which he wears as proof of his prowess as a monster slayer. After all, witchers are not known for leading neither peaceful, nor long lives.
Geralt’s name is known throughout the Continent far and wide due to his skills and track record as a witcher, as well as the infamy that follows his kind wherever they may go. From time to time, people from all walks of life must call upon the services of a witcher, whether they like it or not — someone has to deal with the array of monsters that threaten peaceful life, after all — and Geralt’s reputation as a quick, efficient, and effective monster slayer means he’s sure to get most jobs done. Even ones that other witchers would say no to.
Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, known to most as Ciri, is a Cintrian princess and a legendary Child of the Elder Blood. Thanks to the Law of Surprise, her fate has been tied to Geralt of Rivia’s since before her birth.
As a young child, she was taken in by the witchers of Kaer Morhen and put through rigorous training — in time, she became a particularly able warrior, capable of handling the blade with deftness. Ciri’s early training means that she is capable of handling even multiple enemies at once, and thanks to her upbringing, she has a wide knowledge of alchemy and monsters.
Yennefer of Vengerberg is a sorceress of unfathomable power. For a number of years, she was together with Geralt becoming his confidante and love, as well as taking on the role of a devoted mother-figure to Ciri — willing to go to great lengths to keep her from harm. Yennefer’s resolute tenacity and fiercely destructive magical prowess make her a force to be reckoned with, and after losing contact with Geralt following the witcher’s loss of memory, she has continued to forge her own path across the Continent.
The sorceress Triss Merigold is a good friend, companion, and a lover of Geralt’s. She is dignified and determined, and has proven her knowledge and skill in the magical arts on many occasions — particularly when it comes to helping Geralt overcome deadly opposition. As well as being well-versed in healing magics through her expert alchemy, Triss is also a savvy politician — having once served as an adviser to King Foltest of Temeria
Vesemir is the head of the School of the Wolf, one of the five Witcher Schools. He is the oldest witcher still active on the Continent, however, he has never considered retiring; despite his gray hair and advanced age, he continues to engage in monster hunts, demonstrating all the wiles and skills that come from experience. When Geralt was young, Vesemir was a strict and demanding teacher. Nevertheless, as he got older, Vesemir became something of a father figure and a more kindly teacher to the witchers under his care. He came to be loved by the witchers of the Wolf School — in spite of his sometimes incessant nagging.
Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove, known simply to his friends as Dandelion, is a famed poet, troubadour, bard, spy, and former lecturer at Oxenfurt Academy. His works are well-known around the Continent, such as his Ballad of the Lion Cub of Cintra, Half a Century of Poetry, as well as his journal entries that make up the bulk of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s quest descriptions. He can be considered Geralt’s closest friend.
Roach is not so much a singular horse as a series of mares all endowed with the same name. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, she is Geralt’s constant companion, taking the witcher anywhere he wishes to go. Roach is hardy, though skittish when near monsters — her nervousness can be overcome with a properly cast Axii.
Emhyr var Emreis is Emperor of the Nilfgaardian Empire to the south. He is the man who ordered the assassination of the northern kings and insitgated the Third Northern War against the now-weakened Northern Realms. The Nilfgaardian Empire, under the behest of Emhyr, is hell-bent on finding Ciri, his biological daughter — enough so to seek the services of both Yennefer and Geralt to get the job done.
The King of the Wild Hunt, a cavalry of spectral elven warriors feared by many as harbingers of doom. Under Eredin’s command, the Wild Hunt travels between planes of existence, seeking a means of saving their homeworld from a cosmic cataclysm known as the White Frost. Eredin is a ruthless and bloodthirsty leader who will stop at nothing to see his goals manifest. This extends to his relentless pursuit of Ciri.
Gaunter O’Dimm, known also as Master Mirror, is a mysterious entity, fond of entering pacts where a human’s soul is at stake. On the surface, they seem innocent, but the bargains tend to be Faustian in nature — O’Dimm often extends a helping hand to those in desperate need, only then revealing his sadistic nature. He is capable of manipulating time and moving between worlds, though his one weakness is his eagerness to enter into a new pact.
An over 400-year-old higher vampire, a barber-surgeon, and a former traveling companion of Geralt’s. He is of above-average intelligence with a wide knowledge of medicine and alchemy. Despite the popular misconception surrounding vampires, he does not need human blood to live, is immune to sunshine and garlic, and has no fear of stakes through his heart. He has powerful healing abilities and can change into a flock of bats or a thick fog. Emiel doesn’t carry a weapon, though this doesn’t mean he can’t be a formidable foe.
A skilled swordsman with a weakness for showmanship and displays of bravura. He is the last living member of the noble but impoverished line of von Everecs. Thanks to his pact with Master Mirror, he becomes immortal — though as is often the case with these deals, it is more of a curse than blessing. Olgierd sells his soul in order to marry his beloved, whose family would not accept him unless he restored his own family’s fortunes.
A talented medic and graduate of the Oxenfurt Academy. She currently practices medicine in Oxenfurt, and also works in the Redanian army’s field hospital. Shani is bright and vivacious, often inclined to joke around. She is rather idealistic, and willing to help people with no thoughts as to her own safety. She has helped out Geralt multiple times in various dangerous situations.
An insightful, highly beloved ruler of the duchy of Toussaint. When her kingdom is besieged by a series of brutal murders of nobles, the duchess swiftly decrees that her loyal knights travel to the war-torn Northern Kingdoms to seek out the one and only Geralt of Rivia — she believes him to be the only one capable of unraveling the troubled Toussaint’s mysteries.
Sylvia Anna, known to close friends as Syanna, is Anna Henrietta’s older sister and the true heir to the throne of Toussaint. As a child, she was banished from the kingdom and removed from the chain of succession by her family.
It is suspected that due to being born during a solar eclipse, she is under the Curse of the Black Sun — Syanna grew up being treated with mistrust and suspicion. Her only line of support was her younger sister, though they too quarreled and broke off ties.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for the next generation is an opportunity for players both new and old to experience this beloved RPG in a modern context. With this release we’ve taken the chance to harness the
power of the new generation of consoles as well as more modern PCs to improve the look, fidelity, and feel of the game. We’ve also taken the opportunity to look at specific aspects of the gameplay experience that deserved some fine-tuning, bringing certain elements up to the standards you’d expect from a contemporary RPG.
Next-gen upgrades and new content are available as a free update for everyone who already owns
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Some of these additions (including cross-progression, My Rewards, and add-ons inspired by Netflix’s The Witcher series) will also be available on the previous generation of consoles.
Switch between two graphical rendering modes: Performance, which prioritizes frame rate at 60FPS, and Ray Tracing, which prioritizes graphical fidelity and introduces Ray Tracing features — aiming for 30FPS.
Available in Ray Tracing Mode. Ray traced global illumination enables more realistic lighting.
Available in Ray Tracing Mode. Ray traced ambient occlusion enables more accurate and effective surface lighting.
Powerful upscaling technology which boosts framerate, and uses a spatial upscaling algorithm to maintain visual quality.
A selection of community-made mods focused on different aspects of the game. See the Mods section below for more details.
AI-powered performance multiplier that combines DLSS Frame Generation, DLSS Super Resolution (DLSS 2) and NVIDIA Reflex to massively boost framerate and maintain visual fidelity.
Uses ray tracing technology to present more realistic reflections throughout the game world.
Uses ray tracing technology to present more realistic shadow lighting.
A range of tweaks including bug fixes, gameplay improvements, quality-of-life additions and more. See the Content additions created by CD PROJEKT RED section below for more details.
Photo mode has been added, allowing players to take stunning pictures in-game and capture snapshots of their adventure. Pro-tip: enable Ray Tracing mode to make your shots even more awe-inspiring!
Players can now upload their saves to the cloud and carry over their progress on a different platform, all by using their GOG.COM account on the versions of the game they wish to play.
The game utilizes the Activities and Game Help functions on PlayStation 5 to guide players as they take on specific quests and challenges in the game.
Feel every impact Geralt feels thanks to the immersive nature of DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers! Whether you’re in battle, playing Gwent, investigating clues or riding your horse, haptic feedback is there throughout the adventure (can be turned off).
Additional weapons & armor, and a special Gwent card, can be claimed and used in-game by signing up to the My Rewards program. Players can also use this program to claim a card to be used in the standalone game GWENT: The Witcher Card Game.
Find a selection of items inspired by The Witcher Netflix series. Equip new steel and silver swords, new armor sets modeled after armor seen in seasons 1 and 2 respectively, admire a new alternate outfit for Dandelion, and new armor for Nilfgaardian soldiers. You’ll also find a new quest to take on related to these additions. Witcher worlds have truly collided!
Korean and Chinese voice overs have been added to the game, providing full localization for these regions.
Choose between a mode that prioritizes performance at 60FPS, or higher visual fidelity at 30FPS (including better resolutions and textures).
As well as graphical and performance upgrades, we have also included a selection of fan-made mods as standard for this release. The modding scene for THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT has always been fertile, and we’ve seen some impressive work over the years, crafted by dedicated and talented modders. So with this launch we knew that it would be the perfect time to curate some of these mods and include them in the game to raise the standards of the experience by default. Here is a list of mods we have incorporated, along with mod author names as seen on NexusMods. Please check each mod’s page on NexusMods for more in-depth details — such as changelogs and patch notes.
A mod which identifies and fixes inconsistencies between the 3D game world and the 2D map/on-screen minimap.
A mod that targets “lingering visual bugs” present throughout the game, including on objects such as armor sets, visual inconsistencies in water, objects within buildings, and more.
A mod that reworks original models and textures of the game, preserving the original style but greatly improving detail. This mod includes: 4K textures and models, high quality smooth meshes, improved object LOD (level of detail) as well as increased draw distance for a selection of objects, specially customized materials and shaders for all reworked objects.
A mod from a developer who worked on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and both expansions, which, “mainly aims at fixing immersion breakers, buffing underperforming skills and items, cosmetic changes, and bug fixing.” We took a curated approach to this mod, with some elements further tweaked from what you’ll find in the mod by default, while other elements were omitted from inclusion.
A mod which reworks over 1000 textures related to the monsters in the game. The mod increases details while aiming to preserve the artistic intent from the original monster designs, however there are some cases which have seen a partial or complete overhaul in order to bring textures up to the standards of other reworks.
With mods being included in the game, we also saw a fantastic opportunity to make our own modifications to solve lingering issues we wanted to clean up. These additions are wide-ranging and impact gameplay as well as visuals. One of the aims for this selection of additions is to make the experience of playing THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT more streamlined and modernized — as reflected in multiple gameplay tweaks such as the radial menu, map, and UI, for example. These additions also include bug fixes and graphical, lighting, and animation improvements.
Allows Signs to be switched and cast without opening the radial menu in between. This option can be toggled on/off in the gameplay options menu.
The camera can now be closer to the player character, and will more dynamically react to movement and combat. This option can be toggled on/off in the gameplay options menu.
For all main characters, including Geralt, self shadows are now cast in high-resolution even outside of cutscenes (this was previously a cutscene-exclusive feature). Bugs such as hair clipping through armor, and some armor clipping have also been fixed. Our character artists also implemented their own improvements on monster character models, in addition to the specific monster model changes included with the HD Monsters Reworked Mod.
Players can now survive falls from greater heights, as fall damage now kicks in later.
No additional loot window opens when picking herbs and plants; instead, flora is instantly harvested and added to your inventory.
Option introduced to allow players to only show the minimap and quest objective HUD modules when in combat or using Witcher Senses. Previously, you could only turn these elements on or off completely. This option can be toggled on/off in the gameplay options menu.
The world map is now cleaner by default, with icons such as question marks and boat symbols turned off as standard, in order to reduce the icon flood which can be overwhelming. These icons can be turned back on with the “All” map mode toggle.
A range of additions to improve the look and feel of the surrounding environments. Examples include various new mountain backdrops, a new “Gray Sky” weather type, various mesh improvements — for example, Kaer Morhen now has new architecture meshes — and improvements to SpeedTree textures. We also considerably upgraded the majority of ground vegetation in the game.
Overall improvement for environmental VFX, as well as water improvements and better vegetation/water interaction for Geralt.
A swathe of bug fixes related to quests, scenes, animations, and gameplay.
Three different walk speeds are now available, depending on how far you push the analog stick. In the original game, you could only walk, run, or remain idle.
Players can now tap the left stick to sprint.
Selecting consumable items and bombs is now easier as you no longer have to go into your inventory to switch equipped items out. Now, you can do this seamlessly all within the radial menu.
The Continent still holds many secrets and incredible stories just waiting to be discovered. That’s why we’re looking to expand the universe of The Witcher further — gamers across the world can expect even more ambitious and exciting games in the series. We are currently working on the first game of the new The Witcher saga, developed in-house at CD PROJEKT RED However, that’s not all. The CD PROJEKT RED studio The Molasses Flood is hard at work on a completely new game set in The Witcher’s universe, codenamed Sirius. In the future, players can also expect a remake of the very first The Witcher game created by Fool’s Theory, whose employees include many developers responsible for the original title from 2007. Plenty of incredible adventures await us on the Continent — the future of The Witcher series has never been so exciting!
