The Witcher 3 Remastered Launching Soon: Combat, Movement, Controls Overhauled
CD Projekt Red’s long-awaited The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remaster is set to arrive in just one month, bringing a broad set of gameplay adjustments alongside visual and performance upgrades—aimed at modernizing combat, movement, and controls that have felt dated for years.
Release date and what’s being rebuilt
After 11 years, The Witcher 3 – Remastered launches on September 29. The project was previewed via an announcement trailer during gamescom Opening Night Live, with CD Projekt Red also planning presentations throughout the rest of gamescom week for the remaster and Songs of the Past, including live broadcasts on YouTube and Twitch.
- Launch: September 29
- Upgrade for current owners: free
- Included DLCs (free for all owners): Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine
- Platforms mentioned: Nintendo Switch 2 and Battle.net
CD Projekt Red’s stated focus is on combat modernization. The remaster promises optimized fights, improved movement, and revised controls, including changes to “Plötze” (the game’s teleportation/place mechanic referenced in the announcements). The upgrade also adds new Witcher sign effects, adjusts monster behavior, and expands features such as an enhanced photo mode and new finishers.
The team also says the remaster addresses long-standing friction points—specifically awkward controls in combat and stiff animations—so dodging should feel smoother and movement during “Plötze” should be more precise. Beyond moment-to-moment action, the skill tree has been reworked as well, with improvements to progression that extend into the combat side of the game.
Finally, elements tied to Songs of the Past are expected to make their way into the main game. Songs of the Past itself can be added to wishlists starting now, and it’s scheduled for release in 2027.
Why this matters for Witcher 3 players
The Witcher 3 remains one of the most influential RPGs of the modern era, but its feel in late-game combat and movement has aged in ways many players notice—especially compared to newer action RPG standards. With the remaster emphasizing controls, dodging, animations, and combat tuning, it’s positioned less like a pure “make it prettier” update and more like a targeted modernization pass. The free upgrade and inclusion of Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine further suggests CD Projekt Red wants both returning players and newcomers to jump in without missing key content.
What to watch next
With gamescom week presentations continuing into the event’s broadcast schedule, the immediate next step is clear: watch for deeper looks at the specific combat changes, the reworked skill tree progression, and how Songs of the Past ideas will integrate into the remastered base experience.
