Next-generation updates for The Witcher 3 are scheduled for release in Q4 2022.
It was announced in early 2021 that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt would receive a “next-generation” update for the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles, bringing it up to date with today’s cutting-edge gaming consoles and high-end gaming PCs.
Instead of being released as planned in 2021 at the end of that year, Cyberpunk 2077 appears to have suffered the same update delays as that game’s disastrous launch and is only now in a slightly more stable state. Until now it had been expected that CD Projekt Red would release an update for The Witcher 3 in the second quarter of 2022, but this has now been postponed until the fourth quarter of 2022.
The Witcher’s Twitter announcement posts received a fair amount of snark from what appear to be impatient fans, but I’m just thankful that this so-called next-generation update is coming at all.
Many people’s enthusiasm for CD Projekt Red’s announcements and goals waned after the release of Cyberpunk 2077, and the developer’s status as a premier developer took a hit as a result. My impression of The Witcher 3’s future was skewed by the backlash to Cyberpunk 2077 and some of its patch delays.
When I learned that a new Witcher game was in development, I began to doubt the possibility of a new iteration of my all-time favourite game.
However, it appears that I overreacted, as an update is currently being developed, which has made me smile. In my opinion, The Witcher 3 is still one of the best-looking games on the market, but I’d love to see it get a new graphics update, which is why I haven’t played the Hearts of Stone DLC yet.
For the sake of the game’s longevity, it would be ideal if CD Projekt Red included additional content, such as new quests or areas to explore. That being the case, even if it does not happen, I would still be delighted to return to the likes of Velen and Novigrad and Skellige, and Kaer Morhen, with enhanced resolution and frame rate, as well as the addition of some light ray-tracing effects.
In the end, The Witcher 3 is a stunning game with a deep world to explore, a fantastic story that can be influenced in a myriad of subtle ways, and some fantastic characters. Combat isn’t perfect, but slaying monsters still feels fresh today because of how much fun it is to hunt them down.
Game Pass has The Witcher 3 if you haven’t already done so. However, if you have a new console or one of our best gaming PCs, I’d suggest waiting for The Witcher 3 to be released so you can enjoy it in its full graphical splendour. It may be worth the wait, even if it means waiting until the end of the year.
With the delays of Starfield and Redfall, as well as the release of Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, having a game to look forward to this winter is a great benefit. Check out our picks for the best Xbox Series X games and the best PlayStation 5 games right now.
Also, if you haven’t seen The Witcher TV series on Netflix yet, do so now.