The Witcher 3 Remastered is free for existing owners and lands September 29

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a full remaster on September 29, 2026, and it's free for everyone who already owns the game on PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X|S. CD Projekt RED dropped the news at gamescom Opening Night Live, where the studio also confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 support and a new Battle.net release via a partnership with Blizzard Entertainment. On top of that, the two major DLC packs — Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine — are now free for all existing owners, effective immediately.

More than a graphics patch

This isn't just a resolution bump. CD Projekt Press confirms the remaster overhauls combat animations, redesigns the skill tree, improves Witcher Signs, adds a real-time meditation system (a feature shown in a 2013 trailer but cut from the original), and gives monsters distinct new AI behaviors. Horseback riding gets new effects, and a proper photo mode is included. The contentious character progression system has been replaced with a full skill tree — one of the most-requested changes from the game's decade-long community.

What it means if you already own it

If you bought The Witcher 3 at any point — even the 2015 original — you qualify for the free upgrade on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players on Xbox also get Xbox Play Anywhere support, per Windows Central. A new Complete Edition will be available for purchase on all platforms and on Battle.net for anyone buying in fresh, though pricing hasn't been announced yet. The Battle.net listing is unusual — this will be one of the first non-Blizzard games on the platform, and it comes with a Diablo 4 cosmetic cross-promotion.

What's next for the franchise

The gamescom show also brought a first look at Songs of the Past, a new paid expansion set for 2027. The trailer was brief, but it confirmed a storyline tied to Belleteyn — a spring festival connected to Yennefer — and introduced a chain weapon for Geralt, likely a preview of mechanics coming in The Witcher 4, which is targeting a 2028 release. CD Projekt appears to be using the remaster cycle to keep the franchise active and bring new players up to speed before the sequel arrives.