CDPR Prepares for Next-Gen Version of The Witcher 3 w/ Teaser Video

CD Projekt Red has been applauded by many for its outstanding work in The Witcher 3, one of the finest RPGs of all time. CDPR had earlier announced that the game’s next-gen upgrades would be released in Q4 2022. A while later, it was confirmed that the update would be going live on December 14, 2022.

CD Projekt Red has uploaded a 90-minute teaser video featuring upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series upgrades of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Sights of the Continent: Upper Mill I Relax, study, meditate [The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen]

The video is basically a relaxation video featuring peaceful and calming visuals from updated The Witcher 3. There’s only one frame in the footage which shows Geralt of Rivia standing by a lake in Upper Mill, Brunwich. 

The slowly spinning windmill in the background, and the gently swaying waters are a constant sight to see while the days and nights roll by. The hushed sounds of the lake, along with the tranquil scenery help set one’s mind at ease. 

CDPR will be introducing some new changes as well. A report stated the studio was trying out community mods for The Witcher 3. Out of the 71 tested, only 38 worked out as planned.

The patch notes for the next-gen version of The Witcher 3 were released just two days before launch. Other than graphical tweaks and improvements for latest setups, there will be some exclusive changes to the game’s visuals, which includes ray tracing, better environment textures, detailed meshes, improved lighting, and more.

Here are the patch notes for the next-gen update of The Witcher 3:

PC and Next-Gen Exclusives

• Added ray traced global illumination and ambient occlusion.
• Additionally, PC players with compatible hardware have an additional option to turn on ray traced reflections and shadows.
• Added various mods and mod-inspired content to the game to improve visuals and overall game quality. We’ve included some community-made favorites in addition to our own modifications in areas such as environment and cutscene improvements, realistic pavements, and many decoration upgrades.
• Community-made and community-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

• Upscaled texture to 4K for various characters, including Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Ciri, Eredin and more.
• All main characters, including Geralt, now cast high-resolution self-shadowing even outside cutscenes. Additionally, hair clipping through armor as well as some other armor-clipping issues have been fixed.
• Environmental improvements:
  • Added a new weather type – “Gray Sky”
  • Updated sky textures
  • Vegetation and water improvements
  • Various mesh improvements
  • Improved some select VFX
  • Updated global environmental lighting

• Added AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution (FSR) 2.1
• Added photo mode, allowing players to take stunning pictures within the world of The Witcher 3.
• Added the option to pause the game during cutscenes.
• Added an alternative camera option that’s closer to the player’s character and that reacts more dynamically to combat and movement. You can find this new setting in Options → Gameplay under Exploration, Combat, and Horseback Camera Distance.

PC-Only

• Added “ULTRA+” graphical settings on PC, which significantly increases the visual fidelity of the game. 
• Added DLSS 3 support. Available only on compatible hardware.

Next-Gen Console-Only

• Improved the overall quality of graphics on next-gen consoles. Including enhanced textures, improved fidelity, shadow quality, greater draw distances and crowd density. 
• Ray Tracing Mode — provides ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion with dynamic resolution scaling targeting 30 FPS for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
• Performance Mode — ensures smoother gameplay targeting 60 FPS with dynamic resolution scaling for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
• The Xbox Series S version has no ray-tracing features. Quality Mode provides increased resolution and better image fidelity targeting 30 FPS, whereas Performance Mode targets 60 FPS and prioritizes smoother gameplay over visual quality.
• Implemented the use of adaptive triggers and haptic feedback on PS5 DualSense controllers.
• Added Activity Cards for PS5.

Online Features

• Added a cross-progression feature between platforms. Your latest saves will be automatically uploaded to the cloud so you can easily pick up where you left off on other platforms. Cross-progression provides the latest save for every save type. This feature becomes available after you log into your account.
• New sign-up bonuses added for MY REWARDS

The Witcher 3’s Next-gen Upgrade Will Be out by the End of This Year 

About The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Developed and published by CD Projekt Red, The Witcher 3 is an action role playing game. Its plot is based on the work of renowned author Andrzej Sapowski.

The game offers a breathtaking open world gameplay  from a third person point of view.

The game takes players to a fantastical medieval world brimming with mythical beasts and creatures like Elves, Werewolves, Djinn and Golem etc.

The plot of the game revolves around Geralt of Rivia who is trusted by Emperor Emphyr to find his daughter, Ciri.

Ciri is the last inheritor to a primeval elder bloodline who has the ability to manipulate space and time.

Thus, in order to look for Ciri, Geralt goes on a quest crowded with missions and complex decision making. The best feature of The Witcher 3 is that the choices a player makes determine the outcome of the game.

The storyline presents itself with such complicated characters where one has to choose the lesser of two evils. Thus, it’s a game that doesn’t totally rely on brawn but brain too.

After finding Ciri, Geralt further helps her fight the king of the Wild Hunt, Eredin who wants to use Ciri’s power to take over the entire continent.

The ending of this game totally depends on the choices users make throughout the game. Therefore, it varies and can end either on a positive or a negative note.