Some Witcher 3 Fans Are Disappointed by New Remastered Footage

Next week, CD Projekt Red is set to launch The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered, a comprehensive revitalization of the acclaimed 2015 role-playing masterpiece. Given that the original title is well over a decade old, a modern refresh to bring it up to contemporary visual standards in 2026 feels entirely appropriate. However, based on the overwhelmingly skeptical community response to a recently shared promotional clip, this updated edition might not be hitting the mark for longtime fans.

Recently, the official Witcher franchise X account shared a side-by-side comparison highlighting the differences between the upcoming edition and the original 2015 release. The brief 11-second snippet features Geralt casting the Igni sign against a Drowner amidst murky swampland, where the standing water naturally catches the amber glow of the flames. Though the post was clearly intended to showcase enhanced textures and refined visual effects, players quickly took to the comments to voice their disappointment, with one user bluntly asking, “Why does the remastered look worse?”

That sentiment echoes across a surprising majority of the replies on the thread. “The original looks so much more vibrant!” wrote another commenter. A second user remarked sarcastically, “Did you accidentally swap the before-and-after labels, because the left side is vastly superior?” When breaking down why players lean toward the 2015 aesthetic, the critiques consistently target lighting, color grading, and water reflections. As one community member pointed out, the original footage boasts richer, more striking color depth and a dynamic interplay of firelight that makes the scene feel remarkably alive. Ultimately, this reaction speaks volumes about how brilliantly the original game has aged. Fortunately, upgraded graphics aren’t the only enhancements arriving in this package.

Everything new in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered

Beyond the debatable visual tweaks, the upcoming remaster introduces refined animation sets, revamped combat mechanics, smoother movement, improved mount handling, and smarter enemy AI. The progression skill tree has also received a thorough overhaul. Furthermore, the package incorporates cross-platform mod support and a suite of quality-of-life accessibility options. Perhaps best of all, CD Projekt Red is releasing this massive update entirely free of charge to anyone who already owns the base game, complete with access to all previously launched expansions.

This release serves as a precursor to Songs of the Past, an entirely fresh narrative expansion scheduled to debut next year. Co-developed by CD Projekt Red and Fool’s Theory—the studio currently handling the anticipated Witcher remake—this upcoming paid expansion is slated to match the scale of Blood and Wine, promising a substantial journey for players to dive into.

The Witcher 3 dev used the game’s most popular mods for the remaster

The modder behind one of The Witcher 3’s biggest visual overhauls is now working directly with CD Projekt Red

Source: Polygon