CD Projekt Red publishes full Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered launch patch notes

# What this update delivers CD Projekt Red released the full launch patch notes for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered ahead of the remaster's release on September 29. The notes cover visual and rendering improvements, gameplay changes, UI/UX revisions, Photo Mode updates and platform rollout details. If you own any prior version on the same platform ecosystem, you get the Remastered upgrade for free when it launches.

Visual and rendering upgrades

The remaster introduces a broad set of graphical changes aimed at modernizing the game's look:

• Native DirectX 12 rendering with multithreading for better performance and visuals.

• New ambient occlusion option (GTAO), updated tone mapping, Image-Based Lighting (IBL) and reworked bloom.
• Ray-Traced HairWorks to improve hair lighting and subsurface scattering updates for more natural skin.
• Improved motion blur, terrain and material rendering, and updated visual effects for Signs and some skills.

These changes are intended to affect lighting, reflections, color grading and the fidelity of character and environment visuals across platforms.

Gameplay and systems changes

The remaster modifies progression and several gameplay mechanics:

• The skill system is reorganized into a skill tree. Each skill now has three ranks and many require prerequisite skills rather than spending a raw number of points.
• Important: skill points have been reset because of this change.
• The skill tree has been rebalanced, some skills renamed, and bonus values adjusted.

• Combat behavior of non-boss monsters was polished — attack patterns, counterattacks, movement, reactions and effect applications were refined.
• Movement was adjusted: cantering and galloping now require pressing the button instead of holding it. A new "Horse control input sensitivity" slider appears in Controls.
• Geralt and Roach animations and movement were improved: jumping animation polish, new finisher and idle animations, better ledge/lattice interactions, vaulting, gap closing in combat and more responsive mounting/dismounting.

UI, HUD and quality-of-life

Several interface and HUD changes aim to reduce friction and modernize presentation:

• Meditation now plays a timelapse rather than showing a static UI screen.
• The skill screen is reorganized into the new skill tree layout.

• You can hide herbs, boats and corpses on the minimap via Settings → Video → Interface.
• Quest notifications combine updates into a single HUD entry.
• Nearby loot can be grouped into a single window (toggle in Settings → Gameplay). A loot feed shows recently collected items on-screen and can be disabled.
• Loot windows now include item tooltips so you can preview items before picking them up.
• The "HUD Configuration" section has been renamed to "Interface" and account/telemetry menus were updated.

Photo Mode and other additions

Photo Mode received a significant expansion, including character selection to place multiple characters in a shot and a broader set of options. Visual effects for signs and some skill visuals have been updated.

Platforms and release details

The remaster releases on September 29 for PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, Battle.net), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. Existing purchases on the same platform ecosystem will receive the free Remastered upgrade at launch.

# Bottom line This update combines a comprehensive visual overhaul with meaningful gameplay, animation and UI changes. The skill tree redesign is the most disruptive change for returning players because skill points are reset, while reforging, grouped loot, improved horse controls and the graphical updates aim to modernize both appearance and playability.