Is Witcher 3 Remastered Free? Complete Upgrade Guide for All Platforms

• TL;DR
• Yes — The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Remastered is free for existing owners on qualifying platforms.
• Free on: Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
• Nintendo Switch owners can claim the Switch 2 version free — but it is a separate download, not an automatic update.
• Battle.net is a new storefront — there is nothing to upgrade from, so it is a paid purchase for new buyers only.
• PS4 and Xbox One owners do NOT get the Remastered version — but they do get Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free.
• Both expansions are now free for every base game owner on all platforms, even old-gen.
• No deadline has been announced to claim the free upgrade.

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Remastered launched on September 29, 2026. CD PROJEKT RED confirmed it as a free upgrade for existing owners across all qualifying platforms. You do not need to buy the game again if you already own it on a supported platform.

This guide explains exactly who gets the free upgrade, how to claim it on each platform, what is included, and what happens if you are on an older console or a new storefront.

Is The Witcher 3 Remastered Free?

Yes, for existing owners on qualifying platforms. The upgrade costs nothing if you already own The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S.

You only need to own the base game. You do not need the expansions. CD PROJEKT RED also made both expansions — Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine — free for every base game owner at the same time they announced the remaster, on August 25, 2026.

For new buyers who do not already own the game, The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Remastered is a paid purchase. The old standalone expansions have been delisted. Every new copy of the game going forward includes both expansions as part of the base package.

Which Platforms Get the Free Upgrade?

Here is a clear breakdown of every platform and what existing owners receive.

• Steam — Free upgrade. The Remastered update installs automatically through your existing game entry.
• GOG — Free upgrade. CD PROJEKT RED’s own DRM-free storefront gets the same terms as Steam and Epic.
• Epic Games Store — Free upgrade. The update appears in your library on your existing account.
• PlayStation 5 — Free upgrade. Existing PS5 owners and PS4 owners playing via backward compatibility both qualify.
• Xbox Series X|S — Free upgrade. Xbox Smart Delivery handles this. Xbox One owners playing on Series hardware also qualify.
• Nintendo Switch 2 — Free for original Nintendo Switch owners, but requires a separate download from the eShop. It is not an automatic update to the same app.
• Battle.net — Paid purchase only. The Witcher 3 is new to Battle.net. There was no previous version there to upgrade from, so there is no free upgrade path on this storefront.
• PlayStation 4 and Xbox One — No Remastered version. These platforms receive only the existing build of the game. Owners on these consoles do get Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free, but Remastered itself is limited to current-generation hardware.

Is Witcher 3 Remastered Free

How to Get the Free Upgrade on PC (Steam, GOG, Epic)

On all three PC storefronts, the process is the same basic flow. The Remastered update is delivered as a patch to the existing install.

• Steam: Open Steam. Go to your library and find The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Steam should prompt you to update, or you can click the update button manually. Once downloaded, the existing install becomes the Remastered version.
• GOG: Open GOG Galaxy. The Witcher 3 page in your library will show the Remastered build as an available update. Install it the same way you would any other update in the client.
• Epic Games Store: Open the Epic launcher. Go to your library. The update will appear on The Witcher 3 tile. Click to install. The same account that shows your copy of the game is the one that receives the update.

Before you update on PC, make sure your drivers are up to date and your system meets the new requirements. The Remastered version now requires a 60 GB SSD and 64-bit Windows 11. For the full spec breakdown including all six tiers, see our Witcher 3 Remastered PC system requirements guide.

PC players should also leave around 40 GB of extra free space during the conversion process, even if the final install size stays similar. The patch needs room to work during installation.

How to Get the Free Upgrade on PlayStation 5

If you own The Witcher 3 on PlayStation 5, or have the PlayStation 4 version in your library and access it via backward compatibility, you receive the Remastered upgrade at no cost.

• Go to your PS5 library and open The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
• Look for a Remastered upgrade tile or an update prompt on the game hub.
• If the tile is not showing, go to Settings and select Restore Licenses. This refreshes your entitlements and usually resolves missing upgrades.
• Download the Remastered update to your internal SSD or an officially supported extended SSD.

The PS4 disc version also works. Insert the disc to verify ownership, and the PS5 digital download of the Remastered version should unlock. Ownership and disc verification follow Sony’s standard platform rules.

How to Get the Free Upgrade on Xbox Series X|S

Xbox uses Smart Delivery, which means your entitlement automatically carries forward to the best available version on whichever hardware you are playing on.

• Sign into your Xbox account on an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.
• The Witcher 3 in your library will update to the Remastered version through the standard Xbox update process.
• Xbox One disc owners can verify ownership by inserting the disc on a Series console. The digital Series version then unlocks from the Store.

Xbox One owners who only play on an Xbox One console do not receive the Remastered build. They do receive Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free, which they can download from the Xbox Store.

How to Get the Free Upgrade on Nintendo Switch 2

The Switch 2 situation is different from every other platform. The Witcher 3 Remastered on Nintendo Switch 2 is a completely separate product from the original Switch version. It does not update the existing app. You need to download a new, standalone entry from the Nintendo eShop.

• Digital Switch owners: Open the Nintendo eShop on your Switch 2. Search for The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Remastered. The listing shows no charge for accounts that own the original Switch version. Download it directly.
• Physical Switch cartridge owners: You can claim the Switch 2 digital version free on launch day. Go to the eShop listing and select to claim it. Do not sell or trade your cartridge before you have redeemed the upgrade, as the cartridge is what proves ownership for the claim flow.

Once downloaded, you will have two separate entries in your Switch 2 library: the original Switch version and the Remastered version. That is expected and normal. New buyers on Switch 2 who never owned the original pay a standard purchase price of $59.99 for the Remastered version.

What About Battle.net?

Battle.net is a brand new platform for The Witcher 3. There was no previous version of the game available there. This means there is no free upgrade path on Battle.net — there is nothing to upgrade from.

If you want to play on Battle.net, it is a paid purchase. CD PROJEKT RED announced a new partnership with Blizzard Entertainment to bring the game to their launcher. Buyers of The Witcher 3 on Battle.net receive a bonus Geralt-inspired cosmetic skin for Diablo IV as part of the partnership promotion.

If you already own the game on Steam, GOG, or Epic, there is no reason to buy again on Battle.net unless you specifically want to consolidate your library on Blizzard’s platform.

Are Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine Free?

Yes. CD PROJEKT RED announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, 2026 that both expansions are now free for every owner of the base game, on every platform, including old-gen consoles.

If you owned only the base game and not the expansions, they were added to your library automatically. Most digital owners found them waiting in their library without having to do anything. If they did not appear automatically, check your store library or restore licenses on PlayStation.

This applies to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners too. Even though those platforms do not receive the Remastered version itself, they still qualify for the free expansion unlock. Both expansions together represent roughly 50 additional hours of content, including two of the most acclaimed expansion packs ever released for any RPG.

What Is Included with the Remastered Upgrade?

The free Remastered upgrade is not just a graphics patch. Patch 5.0 brings substantial changes across the whole game. Here is a summary of what you are getting.

• Fully rebuilt skill tree — Skills are now organized in a proper tree structure requiring prerequisite unlocks. All existing skill points are reset.
• Path Tracing on PC — A new global lighting system exclusive to PC with NVIDIA RTX cards. See our Path Tracing settings guide for how to enable it.
• Gear Reforging — A transmog system that lets you change gear appearance without affecting stats. See our Gear Reforging guide for the full breakdown.
• Updated visuals — New shading model, GTAO, DirectX 12 native rendering, improved lighting, updated textures from The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project, and better motion blur.
• Combat improvements — Polished monster behavior including updated attack patterns, counterattacks, and movement.
• Improved movement and animations — New finisher animations, new idle animations, smoother gap-closing in combat, and better Roach controls.
• Expanded Photo Mode — New poses, placeable props, environment presets, first-person camera mode, and more.
• Cross-platform mod support — An in-game mod browser powered by mod.io, available on all platforms including consoles.
• Both expansions included — Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are now bundled with every copy of the game.
• New accessibility options — Including the Bard’s Ballad preset designed to reduce cognitive load for players who need a more relaxed experience.

For the complete list of every change in Patch 5.0, see our Patch 5.0 full changes guide.

Do You Need to Start a New Game?

No. You can continue an existing save in Remastered. Your progress, achievements, and gear all carry forward.

The one important thing to know is that the skill tree overhaul in Patch 5.0 resets all skill points. Your skill choices will be gone, and you will need to rebuild your build from scratch using the new tree structure. Your character level, inventory, and story progress are not affected.

If you are mid-playthrough and want to know the best way to rebuild your character, see our Witcher 3 Remastered best builds guide for all playstyles covered in full detail.

Is There a Deadline to Claim the Free Upgrade?

No deadline has been announced. CD PROJEKT RED has not set an expiry date on the free upgrade for existing owners. You can claim it now or come back later and it should still be there.

That said, if you are a Nintendo Switch physical cartridge owner planning to claim the Switch 2 version, do not sell or trade your cartridge before you redeem the digital upgrade. The cart is what proves ownership in the claim process.

Frequently Asked Questions