The Witcher 3 Remastered Details: 90 FPS, Ray Tracing, and New Animations

CD Projekt RED is preparing a major remaster of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that aims to go beyond a simple graphical refresh. After Gamescom 2026, more specifics are coming into focus: changes to combat flow, exploration and horseback traversal, new animation work, and a technical push that includes high-performance framerates and ray-tracing options—plus a console-friendly approach to mods.

A remaster built around feel: combat, traversal, and progression

The most player-visible goal behind The Witcher 3 Remastered is improving how the game plays moment-to-moment. The update described in recent developer interviews includes both animation and systems-level adjustments designed to modernize parts of the experience without losing its core structure.

• New meditation animations to update how Geralt interacts with downtime.
• Roach interaction upgrades, including the ability to pick herbs without dismounting.
• Horseback improvements that target mounting from longer distances and from nearly any angle, alongside updated riding animation sets and better handling in dense vegetation.
• Combat modernization via an improved enemy selection system, control changes, and three new execution animations.
• Skill and progression rework where unlocking can happen faster, and certain advancement depends on spent points rather than character level.

For returning players, this matters because it addresses several “friction points” commonly associated with older open-world action RPG pacing—especially around mounted movement and combat targeting—while also changing how long-term build progression is paced.

Performance and lighting targets: up to 90 FPS, ray tracing, and PC frame tech

CD Projekt RED is also pitching the remaster as a technical leap. The announced features span multiple platforms, with PC receiving the most layered performance options.

• Up to 90 FPS (targeted performance figure).
• Ray tracing mode at 60 FPS.
• Path tracing on PC.
• DLSS 4.5 on PC.
• Dynamic frame generation.
• Multi Frame Generation up to 6x on PC.
• Hair rendering improvements using NVIDIA technology.
• Additional exploration animation variety, including stairs and slides.
• General improvements to controls during combat and driving.
• New hairstyles and customization items.

In practice, these changes suggest the remaster is aiming to deliver both visual fidelity (ray/path tracing and hair upgrades) and modern responsiveness (multiple frame-generation layers on PC, plus a performance-focused approach that includes a 60 FPS ray-tracing target).

Mods arrive on consoles, and Nintendo Switch 2 gets its own spec

Perhaps the biggest quality-of-life shift for non-PC players is that modding won’t be limited to the typical PC workflows. The remaster includes integrated mods directly in the game on consoles, with a range of examples outlined.

• Unlimited-capacity inventory.
• Boat racing content.
• New hairstyles and accessories.
• Changes to Gwent.
• An option to add bright eyes to Geralt.

On top of that, The Witcher 3 Remastered has a dedicated performance plan for Nintendo Switch 2: 1080p in docked mode, 720p in handheld, and a dynamic framerate that can reach up to 40 FPS. The Switch 2 version is also described as having touch controls and motion-based features using Joy-Con 2.

This combination—console-integrated mods plus platform-specific control and resolution strategies—signals an attempt to keep the game’s longevity intact across communities that don’t traditionally rely on PC mod managers.

Release window and upgrade path: September 29 across major platforms

The Witcher 3 Remastered launches on September 29 for Xbox Series, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. Importantly, owners of The Witcher 3 will be able to access the remastered version through a free update.

That upgrade policy is likely to be a key factor for player retention: it lowers the barrier for returning to a familiar world while still asking players to engage with the update’s most meaningful changes—combat flow, traversal feel, new animations, and the expanded technical modes—on their preferred hardware.