Witcher 3 Remastered Launch: What Its 94 Metacritic Means

The Witcher 3 Remastered launched on September 29, 2026, and it did not arrive quietly. CD Projekt Red's refreshed edition of its 2015 open-world RPG is out now on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and a native Nintendo Switch 2 version, it is a free upgrade for existing owners, and Video Games Chronicle reports it now holds a 94 on Metacritic, the highest score of any 2026 release.

• The Witcher 3 Remastered is free for existing owners on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
• Switch 2 players who own the original Switch version get it free too.
• Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are now included with every version.
• VGC reports a 94 Metacritic score, ahead of the original game's 92.

What's new in The Witcher 3 Remastered?

We covered the free upgrade plan and release date back in August; launch day fills in the details. CD Projekt Red lists four big areas of change:

• Visuals and performance: improved textures for environments, NPCs and monsters, with path tracing on PC.
• Skill system: rebalanced abilities and an overhauled skill tree.
• Combat: revamped animations, new finishers and an adaptive camera.
• Mods on consoles: Mod.io integration brings cross-platform mod support, so custom content is no longer a PC-only perk.

The remaster was developed in collaboration with Yigsoft, according to CD Projekt Red's press release.

How does it run on PS5 Pro and Switch 2?

On PS5 Pro, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution delivers 60fps with ray tracing on, or up to 90fps in performance mode on VRR displays. On Switch 2, the native version leans into the hardware with gyro aiming, motion controls for the crossbow, bombs, Signs, potions and even Roach, plus mouse control and touch screen support for maps and Gwent. Gwent on a touch screen is exactly the kind of small joy that keeps a card game running for another hundred hours.

The game is also new to Battle.net and the Microsoft Store, where it is an Xbox Play Anywhere title.

Why is a 94 on Metacritic such a big deal?

Remasters usually score a little below the original, because critics have seen the game before. A 94 that edges past the 2015 release's 92 suggests the changes feel meaningful, not cosmetic. VGC notes it narrowly beats Sektori, also on 94, for the year's top spot, and places it 63rd on Metacritic's all-time list. For an open-world RPG that already defined its generation, that is a remarkable second act.

What comes next for The Witcher 3?

CD Projekt Red is not done. VGC reports that a new expansion, Songs of the Past, arrives in 2027, adding a new region called Letten, and describes it as roughly the size of Blood and Wine. Meanwhile, work continues on the next saga, which already runs on all three target platforms. If you have a save file gathering dust, this is the perfect excuse to saddle up again. More launches and updates live in our gaming section.

Sources: CD Projekt Red: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered available now — September 29, 2026; VGC: The Witcher 3 Remastered is now the highest-scoring game of 2026 on Metacritic — September 29, 2026.