The Witcher 3’s Remaster Didn’t Leak, And That Made The Reveal “Hit Different,” Dev Says

CD Projekt Red surprised players at Gamescom’s Opening Night Live by announcing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, a free upgrade launching September 29, 2026. The reveal caught most of the gaming community off guard, as anticipation had centered on announcements for the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion, arriving in 2027. Marcin Momot, CD Projekt Red’s global community and social media director, expressed enthusiasm about avoiding a leak, posting on social media that “Reveals just hit different when they don’t leak.”

The remaster extends beyond technical enhancements to deliver substantial gameplay improvements to the 2015 game. Updates include overhauls to the combat system, skill progression mechanics, and the introduction of a transmog feature. Technical improvements encompass PS5 Pro support and performance optimizations. The free upgrade is available to all current owners across PC, PlayStation, and Switch platforms, including those who purchased physical copies.

The announcement fulfills years of player requests for an official remaster, though CD Projekt Red had previously rolled out incremental updates. The September 29 launch gives players just over a month after the announcement to prepare for a fresh playthrough, while CD Projekt Red focuses on developing the Songs of the Past expansion slated for 2027.

Sources

• The Witcher 3’s Remaster Didn’t Leak, And That Made The Reveal “Hit Different,” Dev Says
• The Witcher 3 Remastered: Everything new coming in the big free upgrade
• The Witcher 3 Remastered Reveals Huge List of Improvements, Including PS5 Pro Support
• CD Projekt Red reveals extended gameplay of The Witcher 3 Remastered and Songs of the Past DLC
• CD Projekt Red clarifies The Witcher 3 Remastered upgrade path for Switch 2 as pre-orders become available