CD Projekt Red has released patch 5.01 for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, adding graphics options that let console players switch off the game's bloom effect, IGN and Eurogamer reported. The studio also said a separate update for the Nintendo Switch 2 version is in development.
The remaster launched as a free update the previous week. According to Eurogamer, millions of players returned to the game, but some objected to bugs the update introduced and to visual changes they felt over-brightened the image. IGN reported that players on Reddit and social media complained the heavy bloom washed out the picture and removed many of the original game's stark shadows, and that PC players could already turn it off while console players could not.
On consoles, the patch adds Bloom, Light Shafts and Depth of Field options to the graphics settings, along with unspecified performance optimizations. It fixes settings on PS5 resetting every time the game launched, incorrect frame-rate limits in different graphics modes on the base PS5, and voiceover audio becoming much quieter than other sound after navigating the pause menu tabs. On every platform, CD Projekt Red listed visual adjustments to bloom, tone mapping, character lighting, ray tracing and path tracing.
Gameplay and PC fixes
The gameplay fixes address dodging that could respond with a delay, Geralt's stamina being fully drained when sprinting and dodging at the same time, and player-controlled boats that could move uncontrollably and ignore terrain collisions. Vesemir no longer repeats the same line when Quen is cast several times, ladder animations were improved, and the Exploding Shield skill now reflects damage.
PC-specific fixes cover the game sometimes selecting the wrong GPU, graphics presets applying DLSS or XeSS on GPUs that do not support them, and the GTAO Quality setting resetting after a restart. Dynamic Resolution Scaling is now off by default. The notes also say the policy consent screen will appear again because of backend issues, and that a fix for My Rewards and Twitch or Bilibili Drops missing from the chest in Vizima may duplicate some items. IGN put the patch at roughly 5.5 GB on console and 8.5 GB on PC.
In addition to this, we are also working on an update for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered, introducing closer parity between all versions of the game, including the same global changes as on other platforms. It will also improve on some Nintendo Switch 2-specific aspects, such as image clarity and sharpness.
CD Projekt Red said more information on the Switch 2 update would follow in the coming days. Both outlets noted that the patching comes ahead of Songs of the Past, a third expansion for The Witcher 3 that IGN reports is due in 2027.
