At Gamescom Opening Night Live, CD Projekt Red finally unveiled the long-awaited details about The Witcher 3 Remastered, alongside the surprise announcement of a new expansion titled Songs of the Past. The remastered edition of the acclaimed 2015 role-playing game will launch on September 29, 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2, and it will be completely free for those who already own the original game. This generous move has thrilled the community, given the sheer number of announced improvements, over forty in total.
A comprehensive technical overhaul with ray tracing and support for the latest technologies
The remastered version is not just a simple resolution bump. CD Projekt Red has worked extensively on graphics, lighting, and performance. Ray tracing improvements have been introduced, along with a new global illumination model, subsurface scattering, and a completely revamped tone mapper. On PC, players will benefit from path tracing, ray reconstruction, and ray traced hair, as well as native DX12 support and rendering parallelization. Compatibility with Nvidia DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR 4, and Intel XESS 2.0 ensures smooth performance across a wide range of hardware. Next-gen consoles also receive special attention, with support for PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Play Anywhere, while Switch 2 will have exclusive features.
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Gameplay enhancements with revamped skill tree, loot system, and improved traversal
It is not just the technical side that has been polished. The combat system has been refined, as well as mount handling and monster behaviors, which now appear smarter and more unpredictable. The skill tree has been completely redesigned, offering new build opportunities. The loot system has been reworked to be more intuitive and rewarding. Photo mode expands with advanced options, and new combat finishers have been added. Meditation becomes more immersive with refined animations and improved quest tracking. The user interface has been modernized, along with smoother motion blur and an expanded set of accessibility features, making the game more inclusive.
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Songs of the Past, the third expansion arriving in 2027 with the same scope as Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine
The biggest surprise was the announcement of Songs of the Past, which CD Projekt Red prefers to call an expansion rather than a simple DLC. This new adventure will be comparable in size and depth to the historic expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Initially planned for 2026, its release has been postponed to 2027. While details about the story remain shrouded in mystery, speculation points to a connection with the events of The Witcher 4, the next installment in the series featuring Ciri as the protagonist, slated for a 2028 release. In the meantime, fans can enjoy the remastered edition, which also includes the two past expansions, as confirmed by CD Projekt Red.
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For those who have never played The Witcher 3, this is the perfect opportunity to dive into the world of Geralt of Rivia with cutting-edge visuals. The fact that it is free for owners of the original makes the offer even more appealing. All that remains is to mark the calendar and prepare to return to the Continent, amidst technical improvements and new adventures. The community is buzzing, and expectations are sky-high. Will Songs of the Past manage to surpass the quality of previous DLCs? One thing is for sure, CD Projekt Red has once again shown that it knows how to listen to fans and deliver a complete and polished experience in every detail.
