The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is launching its next-gen update on December 14, and though the highlight of this free DLC has been its graphical improvements, there are plenty of surprising additions to its content that players will enjoy. When The Witcher 3 released seven years ago, it was considered one of the most visually stunning games of its time. Though a fair few titles have since surpassed the graphical marvels of The Witcher 3, the game is still gorgeous to look at, and the next-gen update will only enhance this beauty further with upgraded textures, ray tracing, and FSL/DLSS support.
On top of that, the next-gen update is also introducing several elements from The Witcher on Netflix, including the infamous Nilfgaardian armor from Season 1 as an optional setting. Though Henry Cavill has departed The Witcher show in favor of returning to his role as Superman, players will also be able to come across Geralt's iconic Season 1 and Season 2 outfits in the new update. Fans of Jaskier will also find a show-inspired alternate look for their favorite bard of the Northern Kingdoms, though some may find the lack of facial hair unsettling.
Even though the graphical improvements are vast and the Netflix show additions are more than welcome, the real gems of The Witcher 3's next-gen update lie in the details. In their hands-on experience at the CD Projekt Red studio, Eurogamer noted the way Geralt's horse companion Roach has become a lot more reactive. Roach can now walk backwards, kick Geralt's foes, and even keep her head up while swimming. In addition to the aforementioned, Narrative Director Philip Weber pointed out that there were plenty of other secrets added to Roach that he can't wait for players to find out about.
The next-gen update is also introducing a collection of community mods that universally improve upon the base game such as World Map Fixes, HDMR, Nitpicker's Patch, Immersion and Gameplay Tweaks, and even The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project by HalkHogan. The team from CD Projekt Red is adding to this list with small tweaks of their own, such as introducing a Photo Mode, an alternative camera, instant herb looting, and several user interface improvements. Moreover, the update also features a new Chinese-inspired armor for Geralt, and two Korean-inspired swords – though the method for their acquisition remains a mystery at this time.
When asked about the possibility of further updates to The Witcher 3, Weber was hesitant to commit in either direction, stating that the team believed Blood and Wine would be the final DLC, but that the team was also fully committed to developing Project Polaris, which is the production name for the next Witcher saga. With The Witcher Remake on the way as well, it's certainly a great time to be a Witcher fan.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions launch on December 14.
Source: Eurogamer