Witcher 3 Remastered Patch Fixes Lighting, Hits Record Steam Players

Key points

• CD Projekt Red released a patch for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC to fix lighting issues, specifically addressing interiors that appeared too dark and ensuring parity with the PC version.
• The patch also fixed an issue where DLSS was unavailable in the Xbox Play Anywhere version on PC, and CD Projekt Red is preparing a separate hotfix for a save-game issue on PC.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered has reached its highest-ever concurrent player count on Steam, with over 120,000 players, surpassing previous peaks of 92,000 in 2015, 103,000 in 2020, and 89,000 in 2022.
• The Remastered update includes path tracing, DLSS 4.5, improved textures, subsurface scattering, and gameplay changes such as a revamped skill tree and new combat finishers, all free for existing owners.
• While the update improves lighting, some players note that character faces and combat still show the game's age, with third-party tools like DLSS 5 being used to enhance visuals at a 26-30% performance cost.

Background

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was originally released in 2015 and received a next-gen update in 2022 that added ray tracing and DLSS. The Remastered edition is a free update for existing owners, including the Hearts of Stone and Blood of Wine expansions, and is being prepared for a third expansion called Songs of the Past, due for release in 2027. The game has been a best-selling and highest-rated RPG, with a significant player base across multiple platforms.

How outlets are covering it

Eurogamer highlights the patch's focus on lighting adjustments and DLSS fixes, noting that the Bloom setting and path tracing may have contributed to the brightness issues. NVIDIA emphasizes the technical enhancements, including path tracing, DLSS 4.5, and HairWorks, and provides detailed performance metrics for various GPUs. Wccftech discusses the use of third-party tools to inject DLSS 5, noting that while it improves character faces, it costs up to 30% performance and has caveats like color shifts. GamesIndustry.biz focuses on the record-breaking player count, noting that the Remastered update has driven the game to its highest concurrent player count on Steam, surpassing previous peaks.

Why it matters

The patch addresses significant player complaints about the Remastered edition's lighting, which could impact the game's reception and the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion. The record-breaking player count demonstrates the enduring popularity of The Witcher 3 and the impact of the Remastered update on the game's community. The technical enhancements and third-party tools highlight the ongoing evolution of the game's graphics and performance, which could influence future updates and expansions.

What to watch

CD Projekt Red is preparing a hotfix for a save-game issue on PC and continues to investigate issues reported via their Technical Support portal. The Remastered update is expected to be carried over to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past, a new expansion due for release in 2027. Players may continue to use third-party tools to enhance the game's visuals, and CD Projekt Red may consider official support for newer technologies like DLSS 5 in future updates.