CD Projekt Red closed gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25 with a surprise announcement that sent the crowd into a frenzy: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a full remaster. The updated version launches September 29, 2026, and will be available as a free upgrade for all existing owners on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
The announcement came during Geoff Keighley's annual showcase, which also featured trailers for Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Gears of War: E-Day, and Capcom's Mega Man sidescroller. But it was the 11-year-old RPG that stole the show.
What the remaster includes
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered brings substantial upgrades across every aspect of the game. Visuals receive a complete overhaul, and combat gets meaningful improvements. The skill tree has been reimagined from the ground up, and new witcher signs effects add visual flair to familiar spells.
Traversal and movement feel smoother, mount handling has been revamped, and monster behaviors have been enhanced for more dynamic encounters. The game also adds transmogrification for cosmetic customization, an expanded photo mode, and new finishers for combat variety.
These changes are not superficial. CD Projekt Red is co-developing the remaster with Yigsoft, a studio that already has a proven track record working on The Witcher 3, according to the company's official press release.
Watch the official announcement trailer here.
New platforms and a surprise gift
Perhaps the most generous part of the announcement is that Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, the two acclaimed expansions that originally shipped separately, are now available at no additional cost to all current owners of The Witcher 3. Geoff Keighley announced this on stage during Opening Night Live, giving players immediate access to the full epic before the remaster launches.
The game is also arriving on two brand-new platforms. A native version will launch on Nintendo Switch 2, and through a new partnership between CD Projekt Red and Blizzard Entertainment, the game will come to Battle.net. Both arrive on September 29 alongside the main remaster release.
Pre-orders for the Switch 2 version are now available, and the full platform details were confirmed in CD Projekt Red's press release on their official website.
A third expansion on the way
Before the remaster even ships, CD Projekt Red revealed the first look at Songs of the Past, a third expansion that will launch in 2027. The teaser showed a new region called Letten, described as an idyllic land of rural tradition and folklore that hides a dark secret just below the surface. Geralt will face never-before-seen foes in this area, and the expansion features a distinctive chain-based weapon.
Songs of the Past is being co-developed with Fool's Theory, a studio whose leadership is made up of Witcher 3 veterans. The expansion will be a paid release on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. It is currently available to wishlist across select platforms.
The third expansion follows the release of the first two, which were originally sold separately but are now included free with the remaster.
The broader Gamescom picture
The announcement arrived during a packed Gamescom 2026, where Chinese and Korean studios made a strong showing with titles like Nodusfall from HoYoverse, PUBG: Ded.Net from Krafton, and Ananta from Netease. Final Fantasy VII Revelation also received a major new trailer during the showcase, with director Naoki Hamaguchi confirming a spring 2027 launch across all platforms simultaneously.
The event took place against a backdrop of industry turbulence. Keighley opened the show by acknowledging widespread layoffs and hardware price rises caused by the AI components crisis, but emphasized that developers around the world continue to push forward.
For more coverage of the event, GamesIndustry.biz published a detailed breakdown of all the highlights, and The Verge covered every major announcement.
What this means for the franchise
The Witcher 3 remains one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs ever made, and this remaster ensures it reaches new audiences on platforms like Switch 2 and Battle.net. The free upgrade model is unusual for a remaster of this scope, and it signals CD Projekt Red's confidence in the game's enduring appeal.
Meanwhile, The Witcher 4 is still targeting a 2028 release window, according to joint CEO Michal Nowakowski. That means players have a full year of Witcher content to look forward to, starting with the remaster in September and the Songs of the Past expansion in 2027.
The Blizzard partnership also hints at a deeper collaboration between the two companies. Those who purchase Songs of the Past on Battle.net will unlock a Geralt-inspired skin in Diablo 4, with more details expected at BlizzCon in September.
When and where to play
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered launches September 29, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and Battle.net. Existing owners of the base game get the upgrade for free on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The Switch 2 version requires a separate purchase, and pre-orders are now open.
For the latest information, visit the official Witcher 3 website.
See also: NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 and ray reconstruction ship with Gamescom announcements