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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The 2022 version 4.0 update gives The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt better graphics options, usability changes, and some new content—but the features vary by platform. PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S received the next-gen update, while PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch have a different, more limited feature set. “Next-gen” is the publisher’s label, not a console-only description.
What changed from the classic version?
The classic version means the original pre-update release; the next-gen version means the 2022 update 4.0. It is not just a visual remaster: alongside platform-specific graphics improvements, it adds controls, camera options, presentation changes, and a new quest. The feature list below describes the documented 4.0 update, not every change made in later patches. CD PROJEKT RED lists its December 14, 2022 launch and platform changes in the official update change list and launch announcement.
How do graphics and performance differ by platform?
The update improves textures, shadows, draw distance, crowd density, and other visual details. It also adds ray tracing, but not to every platform or graphics mode. The listed frame rates are publisher targets, not guarantees of a locked rate; the official notes do not establish current independent benchmark results.
| Platform | Graphics and features in update 4.0 | Published mode targets |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion; compatible hardware can additionally use ray-traced reflections and shadows. ULTRA+ settings, DLSS 3 on compatible hardware, and AMD FSR 2.1 are also listed. | No universal frame-rate target stated by the change list. |
| PlayStation 5 | Ray Tracing mode includes ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion; Performance mode prioritizes smoothness. Both use dynamic resolution scaling. | Ray Tracing: targets 30 FPS. Performance: targets 60 FPS. |
| Xbox Series X | Ray Tracing mode includes ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion; Performance mode prioritizes smoothness. Both use dynamic resolution scaling. | Ray Tracing: targets 30 FPS. Performance: targets 60 FPS. |
| Xbox Series S | No ray-tracing features. Quality mode favors resolution and image fidelity; Performance mode favors smoothness. | Quality: targets 30 FPS. Performance: targets 60 FPS. |
Those mode targets come from CD PROJEKT RED’s official change list; they are not measured results. The notes do not support a blanket claim that one platform always has higher resolution or looks better. For PC, the available features also depend on hardware: DLSS 3 and the additional ray-tracing options are not available on every system.
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What PC players get
ULTRA+ adds higher graphics settings affecting background character count, shadows, grass density, texture quality, foliage visibility, terrain, water, and detail. The game’s compatibility with those settings and the optional ray tracing or upscaling features depends on the PC hardware.
What new content and presentation features are included?
New quest and appearances
Update 4.0 adds the side quest “In The Eternal Fire’s Shadow,” plus alternative Dandelion and Nilfgaardian armor appearances inspired by Netflix’s series. Chinese and Korean voice-over was also added; console availability for those languages varies by region.
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Camera, photo mode, and visual updates
Photo mode lets players compose and capture scenes. An optional camera sits closer to Geralt and reacts more dynamically to movement and combat, and cutscenes can be paused. The update also includes upgraded textures for several main characters, new weather and sky textures, and changes to vegetation, water, meshes, visual effects, and environmental lighting.
Some community-created and community-inspired work is integrated, including the Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project, HD Monsters Reworked, Immersive Real-time Cutscenes, Nitpicker’s Patch, and World Map Fixes. The change list also describes a curated implementation of Full Combat Rebalance 3. These are selected integrations, not unrestricted mod support across every platform.
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Which controls and quality-of-life features are new?
- Cast Signs quickly without opening the radial menu.
- Use a less cluttered default map filter and loot herbs instantly.
- Hide the minimap and quest objectives while exploring.
- Choose controller slow-walk and alternate sprint options.
- Change bombs, bolts, and pocket items more easily from the radial menu.
- Adjust subtitle, NPC chatter, and dialogue-choice font sizes.
On PS5, the update also supports DualSense adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, as well as Activity Cards.
Is the next-gen update free, and which editions include the expansions?
CD PROJEKT RED said eligible owners of the original PC, PS4, and Xbox One releases could upgrade to the next-gen version for free. The publisher also issued an update for PS4 and Xbox One with some next-gen quality-of-life additions and Netflix-inspired content; Nintendo Switch was also slated for a separate update. Those older-platform updates are not identical to the PC and newer-console feature set. Check the current store listing for the exact platform and edition you own before making an upgrade or purchase decision, since entitlements can depend on that version.
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The Complete Edition launched for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S and includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions, along with previously released extra content. It is an option for someone who does not already own an eligible edition; an eligible existing owner does not need to repurchase the game just to access the free update. See CD PROJEKT RED’s change list and launch announcement for the publisher’s details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you transfer a save to the next-gen version?
Cross-progression lets you continue on another platform after signing in and uploading a save. For the PS4-to-PS5 process, CD PROJEKT RED specifies that you use the same CD PROJEKT RED account on both versions, create a save to upload, then load that uploaded save on PS5. The support instructions require the PS4 game to be updated to version 4.04. Follow the publisher’s PS4-to-PS5 save-transfer instructions for the exact procedure.
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