The Witcher 3 Remastered is here: CD Projekt Red has announced that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered will be released on September 29, 2025 , bringing significant improvements to graphics, combat, and the skill system. The most impressive thing? The upgrade will be completely free for all owners of the base game on GOG , Steam , Epic Games Store , PlayStation 5 , and Xbox Series X/S . At the same time, the game is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 for the first time , dramatically expanding its distribution platform.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was originally released in May 2015 and quickly took the global gaming community by storm, establishing CD Projekt Red as one of the leading developers of large-scale, narrative-driven open-world RPGs. The game has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, while the entire Witcher franchise has surpassed 75 million units — numbers that rank it among the most commercially successful games of all time. Its enduring success has been bolstered by multiple updates, console upgrades, and a Netflix that has brought new audiences to the franchise.
See also: Gamescom 2026: First look at “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past”
TheWitcher 3 Remastered is no ordinary update. According to The Verge, the new package includes visual improvements, combat changes, and a “remastered” skill tree, which makes it closer to a substantial system overhaul than a simple visual refresh. Additionally, the package includes both of the game’s major expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, essentially presenting a definitive edition of the title.
The Witcher 3 Remastered: What's changing and why it matters
CD Projekt Red's decision to offer The Witcher 3 Remastered for free to existing owners is strategically significant. In an era where many publishers charge separately for remastered versions of older titles, CDPR stands out as particularly consumer-friendly. Free upgrades reduce friction for existing users, improve the company's image, and can significantly increase engagement with a franchise that remains a key asset for CD Projekt Red in anticipation of future releases.
The Witcher 3 Remastered follows a previous current-gen console upgrade that was released in 2022, proving that there is still active demand for the title on modern hardware. The new version further expands the distribution platform, with a release on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and Battle.net, reducing the reliance on specific platforms and reaching a wider audience. The first native release on Nintendo Switch 2 is particularly significant, as it opens the title to a completely new audience.
See also: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's new DLC may receive an official update on May 28th
The Witcher 3 Remastered and the future of the franchise
The Witcher 3 Remastered isn't just a standalone release — it's the start of a major strategic push for the franchise in the coming years. CD Projekt Red has announced that it's working on a brand new expansion for The Witcher 3, titled Songs of the Past, which is expected to release in 2027.At the same time, the company is aiming to release the next mainline title in the series, The Witcher 4, in 2028.This means that the remaster also acts as a "warm-up" for the audience for the upcoming releases.
This strategy makes perfect business sense. CDPR is leveraging the brand equity of one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, keeping the relationship alive with players, and building momentum for future releases. The free upgrade acts as a community retention tool, while the inclusion of the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine ensures that new players coming to the franchise for the first time will have access to a complete, complete package.
See also: The Witcher 4: Wants to satisfy fans and new players!
The remaster also fits into a broader trend in the gaming industry, where publishers are returning to proven brands rather than taking risks with new IP. The Witcher 3 competes in the prestige open-world RPG alongside titles from Bethesda, FromSoftware , and Square Enix, but its advantage is brand recognition and proven demand. In a market where live-service game and sequel fatigue have pushed gamers toward “safe” premium re-releases, The Witcher 3 Remastered comes at the right time.
