What mods are in the Next Gen update? When will it be released? How does the Cross Save work? We answer the most important questions.
On 14 December, one of the best role-playing games of all time returns. With the release of the next-gen update, The Witcher 3 gets a high-quality new version, which is even completely free for PC players.
For a long time, only a few vague details were known about what this new version contains. In the meantime, however, we know a lot more. In this article, we try to answer all the important questions about the new version.
Table of Contents
Release: When will the next-gen update be released?
The update not only has a concrete release date, but the times have also been announced. According to this, it will look like this in Germany:
PC and Xbox: From 14 December at 1 am
PS5: From 14 December at 0am
If you are in a different time zone, this image gives you a complete overview of all global release times.
Preload: How big will the update be?
There is not yet a hundred percent indication of how many GB you will have to download on your PC. But we have already collected a few hints. On the PS5, for example, the complete game consumes about 55 GB, while on the PS4 39 GB of space is necessary. If you now download The Witcher 3 including all DLCs on Steam, about 49 GB will still be needed. There will be no preload.
What graphical upgrades does the update bring?
To make The Witcher 3 look even snappier soon, lots of technical optimisers have been introduced. The main goal here was to make The Witcher 3 look much better compared to the original version, but the changes are not that noticeable. Players should still have the feeling that they are playing Witcher 3. Specific improvements include:
- More beautiful models for heroes and monsters
- Better shadows
- Better environments like new backgrounds, new weather types and better vegetation.
- Ray tracing for better lighting, reflections and environment occlusion.
- DLSS 2.0 provides a better frame rate and those with an RTX-4000 even get DLSS 3.0.
- AMD FSR helps with upscaling.
Thanks to a nifty new trailer, you can already get a first impression of the revamped graphics:
What new features does the update bring?
In addition to the nicer graphics, The Witcher 3 is also getting a few new features with the upgrade that will either make your life a little easier or give you more options. Here are all the known new features:
- Photo mode: To enjoy the beautiful graphics, you can now also activate a photo mode and snap your best scenes. Typically, some overlays or effects can also be added.
- New camera: A new camera setting allows you to follow Geralt a little differently. Here, the camera is closer to the sorcerer and a little to the right, so that you are close but can still see what is waiting in front of you on the road. You can also decide to change the camera depending on the situation.
- Adaptive Triggers: If you are playing with a PS5 controller, the adaptive triggers will adapt to the gameplay. This means that you will feel the trigger give less when you hit an enemy with your sword.
- Character Usage: An alternative mode makes it possible to cast characters faster. You no longer have to choose from the selection wheel which character Geralt should use. Instead, you press a button and Geralt”s combat actions automatically become his spell signs. Instead of hitting, he then casts Quen, for example.
- Map filters: Not everyone likes the large number of symbols on the world map of The Witcher 3. With the new filters, you can easily choose to no longer be plagued by distant question marks. Each symbol can therefore soon be optionally switched off.
What mods are in the update?
The Next-Gen update relies in part on mods that come either from fans or the developers at CD Projekt Red. Some of the graphical improvements come from these mods. All have been carefully selected by the development team. These are the mods:
- HD Redworked
- HD Monsters Reworked
- Nitpicker
- World Map Fixes
- Immersion & Gameplay Fixes
What new content does the update bring?
Fully new content is rather rare in the Next-Gen update. But you don”t have to do without it completely. The Witcher 3 is getting a free Netflix DLC. Geralt doesn”t suddenly look like Henry Cavill, but there is a new quest to solve. The quest is there so that you can make some new pieces of equipment. So Geralt wears the same armour and swords as in the first two seasons on Netflix.
In addition to new outfits for Geralt, there are also alternative looks for the Knights of Nilfgard, as well as for Geralt”s loyal friend Knightspur. He doesn”t look like the actor Dirk Stollberg, but wears his hairstyle and revealing clothes. Incidentally, the new content is also available for PS4 and Xbox One.
How does the Cross Save feature work?
With the next-gen update, The Witcher 3 will receive a feature that allows you to continue the same game across multiple platforms. So if you started your journey on the PC, you can easily continue that journey on the PS5 as well.
To do this, simply start the game and you can then upload your score to a cloud. Once the score is sitting around in the cloud, you can access it with any other platform and just need to briefly sync your game with the Witcher cloud.
Can I continue my old game?
Yes! While the Next-Gen update brings many improvements, it is completely compatible with the original game. So you can simply install the update and continue playing your old Geralt. You will not be forced to start a completely new game.
Are there patch notes for the bugfixes yet?
CD Projekt Red has not yet revealed the full patch notes for the update, but the preliminary (patch notes) can be found on this article. But expect some long-awaited bug fixes for quests, as well as smaller features. For example, thanks to the update, cutscenes can finally be paused. As soon as the patch notes are available in their entirety, we will include them here.
Patch Notes
Exclusive changes for PC and next-gen consoles
Raytracing-based global illumination and ambient occlusion (Screen Space Ambient Occlusion) has been added
Furthermore, for PCs with compatible hardware, there is an additional option to enable ray tracing-based reflections and shadows.
Various mods and mod-inspired content have been added to the game to improve the graphics and overall gameplay quality. We have added some community favourites in addition to our own modifications. This includes environment and cutscene enhancements, realistic walkways, and numerous decorative elements, among others.
Community-created and inspired mods include:
– The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project by HalkHogan
– HD Monsters Reworked by Denroth
– Immersive Real-time Cutscenes by teiji25
– Nitpicker”s Patch by chuckcash
– World Map Fixes by Terg500
Textures for various characters including Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Ciri, Eredin and more have been upscaled to 4K.
All main characters, including Geralt, now cast high-resolution shadows outside of cutscenes. Clipping errors have also been fixed that caused hair and other objects to protrude through the armour.
Environment improvements:
– Added a new weather effect: “Grey Sky “
– Updated the sky textures
– Improvements to vegetation and water bodies
– Various mesh improvements
– Improvements to some selected graphic effects
– Improved global ambient lighting
AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution (FSR) 2.1 has been added
Photo Mode has been added, allowing you to take stunning pictures in the world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The game can now be paused during cutscenes.
An alternative camera option has been added that is closer to the player character and reacts more dynamically to combat and movement. You can find this new camera option under Options → Gameplay and Camera Distance – Exploration/Combat/Riding.
Exclusive changes for PC
The graphics option “ULTRA+” has been added for PC, which significantly increases the fidelity of the game. The graphics option “ULTRA+” affects the following:
– Number of background characters
– Shadow quality
– Grass density
– Texture quality
– Plant visual range
– Soil quality
– Water quality
– Depth of detail
Support for DLSS 3 has been added. This is only available with compatible hardware
