The Witcher 3 next-gen update release date is finally almost here, as developer CD Projekt RED announced the RPG game’s enhanced version will launch Dec. 14, 2022, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC as a free update for all existing owners of the game and as a standard purchase with both DLC expansions – “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood & Wine” – included for first-time buyers. CDPR also said they plan to publish a physical release of the next-gen version at a later date, but didn’t specify when they expect it to launch.
The Witcher 3 next-gen update includes ray tracing on console and PC, faster load times on console, and “dozens” of other visual improvements. Some of these come from mods The Witcher community created over the years, not unlike Bethesda incorporating fan creations in Skyrim.
CDPR also plans enhancements for the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions of The Witcher 3, but said further details will have to wait until a later announcement.
New additions based on Netflix’s The Witcher series will make their way to all versions, current and last-gen, when the next-gen update launches. CDPR is hosting a stream to announce more specifics during the week of Nov. 21, 2022, and showcase the new update’s gameplay for the first time.
Meanwhile, CDPR is working on multiple new The Witcher projects, including a remake of the original game in Unreal Engine 5.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
