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CD PROJEKT RED says owners of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt can upgrade to the Remastered release for free on qualifying platforms. Its current FAQ names PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, but does not spell out which editions or storefront purchases qualify. The publisher’s current page advertises visual, combat, progression, modding, and photo-mode changes; detailed performance targets published for the 2022 next-gen update should not be treated as specifications for the Remastered release.

Is The Witcher 3 Remastered a free upgrade?

CD PROJEKT RED’s current product page says, “Upgrade to Remastered for free if you own The Witcher 3 on qualifying platforms.” The publisher FAQ names PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 as platforms for that upgrade. However, it does not define every qualifying edition or storefront purchase, or provide platform-by-platform claim instructions. Check your game library and the relevant store listing, then consult the publisher’s current support information before assuming a particular legacy copy qualifies. CD PROJEKT RED’s current product page and FAQ

Which platforms does the Remastered upgrade cover?

The current FAQ’s named upgrade platforms are PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. That is a list of platforms the FAQ associates with the Remastered upgrade; it is not a breakdown of qualifying editions, stores, or ownership-transfer rules. The same FAQ mentions PS4 and Xbox One in connection with downloading the expansions, not as platforms in its Remastered upgrade list. CD PROJEKT RED’s current product page and FAQ

What does the current Remastered page say has changed?

The publisher describes the Remastered release in terms of the following features. These are product-page claims, not independently measured performance results:

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#1 Best Overall
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - Xbox Series X
  • Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.
  • Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity.
  • Take on the most important contract of your life: to track down the child of prophecy, the key to saving or destroying this world.
  • Visuals: improved environment, NPC, and monster textures; foliage improvements; and reworked lighting, rendering, and ray tracing.
  • Combat and presentation: revamped animations, new finishers, and an adaptive camera.
  • Progression: an overhauled skill tree.
  • Customization and play: cross-platform mod support, transmogrification, realistic light and shadow, immersive meditation, and an expanded photo mode.

The page does not provide a current platform-by-platform frame-rate target or a like-for-like performance comparison. CD PROJEKT RED’s current product page and FAQ

How is Remastered different from the 2022 next-gen update?

The names refer to distinct official material. CD PROJEKT RED’s current page presents The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered as a current release. Separately, the publisher released version 4.0 as a next-gen update in December 2022. Its changelog covers that older update and warns that update scope may vary by platform. Do not assume that a version 4.0 specification also describes the current Remastered build. Current Remastered page; 2022 version 4.0 changelog

What the 2022 version 4.0 notes specify

For historical context, the December 12, 2022 changelog said version 4.0 launched for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with an update also planned for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It documented the following features and targets for that update only:

  • Ray tracing: PC and next-gen consoles received ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion. On PC, compatible hardware could additionally enable ray-traced reflections and shadows.
  • PC graphics: Ultra+ settings and DLSS 3 support on compatible hardware were PC-specific.
  • Console modes: PS5 and Xbox Series X modes targeted 30 FPS with ray tracing or 60 FPS in performance mode, using dynamic resolution scaling. Xbox Series S had no ray-tracing features; its quality mode targeted 30 FPS and its performance mode targeted 60 FPS. These are the publisher’s 2022 targets, not verified Remastered performance figures.
  • Other additions: PS5 DualSense adaptive triggers and haptic feedback; cross-progression after account sign-in; photo mode; the ability to pause during cutscenes; a closer adaptive camera; Quick Sign Casting; and map and HUD options.
  • Content and language: the notes also listed additional quests and Netflix-inspired content, alternate looks, and Chinese and Korean voice-over. Console voice-over availability varied by region.

CD PROJEKT RED’s December 12, 2022 version 4.0 changelog

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Rank #3
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - Xbox One
  • If you buy this game, you will receive a free next-gen update on December 14th!
  • Play as a highly trained monster slayer for hire.
  • Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth and complexity.
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game of the Year edition brings together the base game and all the additional content released to date.
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Are the Complete Edition and expansions part of upgrade eligibility?

They are related ownership questions, but the FAQ does not make expansion ownership proof that a particular copy qualifies for the Remastered upgrade. It says the storefront base game has been replaced by the Complete Edition, and that save files remain compatible, Cross Progression remains functional, and expansion achievements and trophies are unaffected. It also says base-game owners can install Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine by updating to the latest version; on PS4 and Xbox One, the FAQ says the expansions are available to download for free. Existing expansion owners keep them in their libraries, with their content patched into the base game. CD PROJEKT RED’s current product page and FAQ

In November 2022, the publisher announced a digital Complete Edition for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a physical release to follow. That announcement is historical information about the 2022 Complete Edition; it does not establish a physical edition or current retail listing for the newer Remastered release. CD PROJEKT RED’s November 14, 2022 announcement

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 2
Bestseller No. 3
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - Xbox One
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - Xbox One
If you buy this game, you will receive a free next-gen update on December 14th!; Play as a highly trained monster slayer for hire.
$24.99

What to check before expecting an upgrade

  1. Identify the platform and store account where you own The Witcher 3.
  2. Check that platform’s library and current store listing for the game and any edition details.
  3. Compare those details with the publisher’s current FAQ, which gives the qualifying-platform names but does not enumerate all eligible SKUs or claim steps.
  4. If eligibility remains unclear, use the publisher’s current support material rather than inferring entitlement from expansion ownership or the historical 2022 Complete Edition announcement.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.