The Witcher 3 Remastered visual comparison sparks fan debate

CD Projekt RED has released official comparison footage for the upcoming The Witcher 3 Remastered, sparking significant debate among fans regarding its visual quality. While the remaster introduces ray tracing, 4K textures, and improved water definition, many players have expressed concerns that certain elements appear inferior to the 2015 original.

Specific criticisms center on the implementation of ray tracing, with users noting a lack of fire reflections in water and changes to fog effects that some find less immersive. There are also mixed reactions to updated character and enemy textures, with some players suggesting that certain models look less detailed or have an unnatural shine.

To address community concerns, the developer has included features such as a toggle to restore the original horse movement logic for the character's mount, Roach. The remaster is scheduled for release on September 29, 2026, including an update for Nintendo Switch 2. CD Projekt RED confirmed that owners of the physical Nintendo Switch version will receive the remaster update for free.