Witcher 3 Remastered Free Upgrade Guide (Sept 29): What’s New, Platforms & Storage
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered lands on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 as a free upgrade for owners on qualifying platforms. CD PROJEKT RED announced it at gamescom Opening Night Live, and the studio’s own posts confirm this is a real systems pass, not a resolution sticker. If you already own the game on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S, you do not buy Remastered again. You download the update, clear storage space, and play the modernized Path.
This guide covers what’s new, who gets the free upgrade, platform quirks (including Switch 2, Battle.net, and Xbox Play Anywhere), release times, and the ~45 GB storage hit so you are ready before the servers light up.
Primary references: CD PROJEKT RED’s announcement, the official Witcher site post, and Xbox Wire’s feature rundown. Secondary timing and size confirmation: CDPR community messaging covered by Pure Xbox.
Is Witcher 3 Remastered actually free?
Yes, for existing owners on the listed digital storefronts and current-gen consoles. CDPR’s language is explicit: Remastered is a free upgrade for players who own The Witcher 3 on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Two related free gifts matter:
- Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are included in Remastered.
- Owners who only had the base game already received those expansions for free at announcement time (including Xbox One owners, with digital library grants and Store claims for disc owners per Xbox Wire).
Release date and exact go-live times
Date: September 29, 2026 Preload: None. The update appears at go-live. Global timing (same moment, local clocks):
- America/Chicago (CT): 5:00 a.m. CDT
- Pacific: 3:00 a.m. PDT
- Eastern: 6:00 a.m. EDT
- UK/Ireland: 11:00 a.m. BST
- Central Europe: 12:00 p.m. CEST
- Japan: 7:00 p.m. JST
- Australia (AEST): 8:00 p.m. AEST
Platforms checklist
| Platform | Remastered access | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Steam | Free upgrade if you own W3 | ~45 GB update; language packs can change size | | GOG | Free upgrade | Same free-upgrade framing as Steam/Epic | | Epic Games Store | Free upgrade | Same | | PlayStation 5 | Free upgrade | ~45 GB | | Xbox Series X\|S | Free upgrade | ~45 GB; achievements carry over | | Xbox Play Anywhere | Supported at Remastered launch | Series console owners get PC via Xbox app at no extra charge | | Nintendo Switch 2 | Native Remastered SKU / claim path | ~50 GB separate package; Switch 1 owners can claim Remastered on Switch 2 | | Battle.net | New platform partner SKU | Pre-purchase available; Songs of the Past tie-ins with Blizzard later |
Switch 2 and Battle.net are new homes for the game on September 29, not free Steam-style upgrades of an existing library copy. If you only own Switch 1 Witcher 3, CDPR’s official post says you can claim Remastered on Switch 2 at release. Confirm the eShop claim flow in your region on the day.
Storage sizes to free before Tuesday
CDPR’s social director posted approximate update sizes ahead of launch:
- PC (Steam): ~45 GB (varies with language packs)
- PS5: ~45 GB
- Xbox: ~45 GB
- Nintendo Switch 2: ~50 GB (separate package)
Because there is no preload, expect crowded CDN traffic at 5:00 a.m. CT. If your connection is soft, schedule the download and go back to sleep.
What’s new in Remastered (systems, not just pixels)
CDPR and Xbox Wire list a wide modernization pass. Treat these as the headline changes that justify a fresh playthrough:
Visuals and presentation
- Upgraded textures for environments, NPCs, and monsters
- Reworked lighting with more natural illumination and stronger light/shadow work across Novigrad streets and wilderness hunts
- Ray tracing improvements on supported hardware
- HDR improvements called out in broader remaster messaging
- On high-end PC coverage: modern upscalers such as DLSS / FSR generations and advanced lighting features depending on platform writeups
Combat and traversal
- Enhanced combat flow with smoother gap-closing and revamped animations
- New finishing moves (including flashy Sign-tied finishers such as the Aard finisher shown in trailer coverage)
- Adaptive camera that tightens or widens based on enemy count
- Improved traversal and movement, including smarter vaulting and platforming feel
- Revamped mount handling for Roach
- Enhanced monster behaviors and AI so hunts feel less like repeated target dummies
- New Witcher Signs effects
Progression and character fantasy
- Full skill tree revamp with reworked skills, new perks, and a more flexible modern RPG layout (Xbox Wire compares the redesign ambition to how modern audiences expect trees to work)
- Transmogrification so armor and weapons can keep stats without locking your look
- Expanded photo mode (poses, camera controls, frames, filters, models)
Quality of life and platform features
- Cross-platform mod support messaging for Xbox Series X|S custom content (quests, gear, balance changes)
- Tutorial and UI modernization called out in secondary remaster roundups
- Looting and interaction polish in broader “and more” buckets from CDPR’s trailer feature list
How to prepare your library before Sept 29
- Confirm ownership on the storefront you actually play. Steam Deck / PC Game Pass / Xbox console libraries are easy to mix up.
- Install or update the current Witcher 3 client so the Remastered patch applies cleanly.
- Back up saves on PC (copy the save folder). Console cloud saves are usually fine, but a manual backup costs nothing.
- Free ~50-60 GB if you can, even though the stated patch is ~45 GB.
- Disable flaky mods before the update. Plan a remaster-compatible mod pass afterward. Cross-gen mod support on Xbox is a Remastered selling point, not a promise that old PC mods survive untouched.
- Claim Hearts of Stone / Blood and Wine if you somehow missed the free expansion grant after gamescom. Remastered includes them either way, but cleaning the library now avoids confusion.
- Decide your playthrough plan: new game on Remastered systems, or continue a mid-run save. CDPR framed Remastered as an update-style upgrade on existing platforms; expect progress continuity, but still verify after you patch.
Songs of the Past is separate (2027)
Do not confuse Remastered day one with the third expansion. Songs of the Past is a paid 2027 expansion co-developed with Fool’s Theory. It introduces the new realm of Letten, new monsters, new mutagens, and a chain weapon nod. Remastered ships without Songs of the Past. Wishlist it if you want launch reminders, but your September 29 download is the remaster only.
Xbox Play Anywhere and why it matters
Remastered adds Xbox Play Anywhere. If you own the game in the Xbox ecosystem, you can move between Series X|S, Xbox PC app, and supported handhelds with shared progress. That is a quiet huge deal for players who bought the game years ago on console and now live on Ally-class devices. FSR 4.0 support on Xbox Ally hardware appears in Windows Central’s remaster coverage as a handheld performance note.
Should you start a new playthrough on Sept 29?
Start fresh if:
- You never finished Blood and Wine
- You bounced off old combat float or skill tree awkwardness
- You want transmog and photo mode as part of a clean run
- Your last save is ancient and poorly built for the new tree
- You are mid-quest and emotionally invested
- You mainly want visual and feel upgrades without redoing White Orchard
FAQ
When does Witcher 3 Remastered release?
September 29, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. CDT (America/Chicago), with matching local times worldwide and no preload.
Is the Remastered upgrade free?
Yes for existing owners on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. New platforms like Switch 2 and Battle.net use their own purchase or claim paths.
How big is the download?
About 45 GB on Steam, PS5, and Xbox. About 50 GB on Nintendo Switch 2 as a separate package. Language packs can change PC size.
Are Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine included?
Yes. Remastered includes both expansions. Base-game owners also received free access to those expansions at announcement time.
Is Songs of the Past part of the free upgrade?
No. Songs of the Past is a separate paid expansion planned for 2027.
Will my achievements and saves carry over?
Xbox coverage notes achievements carry over. Remastered is framed as an upgrade on existing platforms rather than a disconnected SKU. Still back up PC saves before patching.
Does Remastered support Xbox Play Anywhere?
Yes. Series console ownership unlocks PC via the Xbox app under Play Anywhere at Remastered launch.
What are the biggest gameplay changes?
Enhanced combat and finishers, improved movement and mount handling, monster AI upgrades, a full skill tree revamp, transmogrification, expanded photo mode, and a broad visual/lighting pass.
Can Switch 1 owners get Remastered?
CDPR says Switch owners can claim Remastered on Nintendo Switch 2 when it releases. Check the eShop claim details in your region on September 29.
Will there be a preload?
No. The update becomes available at the stated go-live times.
If you have been waiting for The Witcher 3 to feel current without losing its identity, September 29 is the date. Free the disk space, verify your storefront ownership, and be ready when the Remastered patch drops at 5:00 a.m. CT.
