While we’ve already gotten a pretty good rundown of The Witcher 3 update that will bring the hit RPG game into the next gen, developer CD Projekt has now provided a full list of patch notes for version 4.0. The updates aren’t limited to graphics – as we’ve seen, the Witcher 3 team has seen fit to add all new features, as well as some of the best Witcher 3 mods, into this release.
The Witcher 3 4.0 patch notes detail some of the specific community mods that have been incorporated into this version of the game, including HalkHogan’s HD Reworked Project, which we’ve recommended for years. This edition also includes Denroth’s HD Monster Reworked mod, Immersive Real-time Cutscenes by teiji25, Nitpicker’s Patch by chuckcash, and Terg500’s World Map Fixes.
CD Projekt also says it’s incorporated elements of Flash_in_the_flesh’s Full Combat Rebalance 3 mod, tweaking some of the mod’s changes and omitting others.
Several key characters, including Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Ciri, and Eredin have gotten textures upscaled to 4K, so they’ll look nice and sharp on any of the best gaming monitors out there. All of the main characters cast high-resolution self-shadows outside cutscenes too, and instances where hair would clip through clothing have been addressed.
There are some new environmental updates, including a portentous ‘grey sky’ weather type, new sky textures, enhancements to vegetation and water textures, mesh improvements, better visual effects, and updates to global environment lighting.
PC players also will have access to a new ‘Ultra+’ preset, which applies to the number of background characters, shadow quality, grass density, texture quality, visibility range for foliage, terrain quality, water quality, and level of detail. If you’re using one of the best graphics cards, you’ll be able to use DLSS 3 to boost your framerate, too.
The next-gen version of The Witcher 3 also features cross-progression, so wherever you are in the game, you’ll be able to pick right back up in this new version, regardless of the platform you played on before. You’ll need to log in to your account to share save information across platforms, and signing up for ‘My Rewards’ includes some in-game items: the Swords of the Nine-Tailed Vixen, the White Tiger of the West armour, a Dol Blathanna armour set, and a Roach card.
The new edition also includes a new side quest to pick up in Velen, an alternate look for Dandelion and a Nilfgaardian armour set inspired by Netflix’s Witcher series, Chinese and Korean voiceover, and improvements to Russian voiceover.
The full 4.0 patch notes can be found on the official site, and the update will be available December 13 at 4pm PT / 7pm ET and December 14 at midnight GMT / 1 am CET.
