The Witcher 3’s next-gen update arrives on 14th December, at last giving the game a proper release on PS5, Series X and Series S. And equally, it enhances the PC version with a suite of long-awaited upgrades including ray-tracing support. Seven years after the original release, after multiple expansions and a successful Netflix adaptation, this update is the perfect opportunity to craft an ultimate version for longterm fans and newcomers alike. And I’m glad to report, after flying to developer CDPR’s offices in Warsaw last week to go hands on with the PS5 and Series X versions, this revitalised release very much looks to be delivering on that promise.
While we weren’t allowed direct capture at the event, we were provided with footage of the first 15 minutes of the new update running on PS5 and Series X, in both their performance and RT modes – more than enough for a preview ahead of a full breakdown closer to release. As always with preview capture, it’s worth stressing all of this is still being optimised and the final release may be improved further.
Still, The Witcher 3 on PS5 and Series X impressed hugely in the four hours we played it – and not just in the visual upgrades, which include reworked foliage, 4K textures and higher-quality models throughout. There are also significant quality of life improvements, like a revised camera and faster controls for using signs, the magic spells of the Witcher universe. All told, the game truly looks and plays better than ever before.
How did this update come about? A bit of back history here: in 2021 developer Saber Interactive started work on refactoring the engine to have RT capabilities and reworked foliage and characters to allow for 4K textures – amongst other changes. However, it seems CDPR took over development duties at the start of 2022, moving graphics designers from Cyberpunk to this next-gen Update and finishing off what Saber had started. They also added many quality of life fixes, including the reworked camera.
As mentioned, PS5 and Series X versions of the game offer a 60fps performance mode and a 30fps ray tracing mode, each of which uses AMD’s FSR 2.1 upscaling to produce a 4K output with dynamic resolution scaling. FSR 2.1 also takes over anti-aliasing duties from the older FXAA and TAA options, providing a much more stable image as a result.
So how do these two modes hold up in practise? Starting with the 30fps ray tracing mode, we see two forms of ray tracing enabled: global illumination and ambient occlusion. The first allows lighting to bounce realistically between surfaces, shading and colouring the corners of the world, while the second ensures objects are better grounded in their surroundings with more believable shading. Together, the effects have a transformative effect on many scenes, especially those indoors or otherwise indirectly lit.
The comparisons we can show around White Orchard don’t fully do the changes justice in truth, but in my time playing the game on PS5 and Series X I found the differences substantial. No doubt we’ll have opportunity to show off some more compelling scenarios beyond the first 15 minutes, particularly our favourite test areas like Novigrad City and Crookback Bog.