The Witcher 3 next-gen launch finally has a release window and it’s sooner than you think

The port was previously being handled by Saber Interactive

Jasper Pickering
Thursday 19 May 2022 11:35 EDT
Fans can expect a free upgrade from their PS4 and Xbox One versions of the title
Fans can expect a free upgrade from their PS4 and Xbox One versions of the title (iStock/The Independent)

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CD Projekt Red, the developer of The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077, has confirmed that the planned next-gen upgrade for The Witcher III: Wild Hunt will be out later this year, after previously stating that it was delayed indefinitely.

First announced in September 2020, the planned update promises improved performance for the Playstation 5 and Xbox series X/S as well as faster loading times and ray tracing and smoother frame rates.

The Witcher III was first released in May 2015 on the PS4, Xbox One and PC. And the game has since seen a number of expansions and even a port to the Nintendo Switch.

The series is loosely based on the fantasy novels written by Andrzej Sapkowski that have also been adapted into a successful television series on Netflix.

To find out more about when The Witcher III: Wild Hunt will be coming to PS5 and the Xbox series X/S, keep on reading.

‘The Witcher III’ next-gen version release date

In a tweet posted on the official Witcher game Twitter account, CD Projekt Red formally announced that the planned update would be ready in “Q4 2022”.

This should mean that we can expect to see the game launch sometime between October and December this year.

2022 also marks the seventh anniversary of the launch of the original title, and the “complete edition” will mean that all downloadable content and expansions should be available along with the upgrade.

Why was ‘The Witcher III’ PS5 and Xbox series X/S versions delayed?

The next-gen release was originally slated to arrive in the last quarter of 2021 but was then pushed back into 2022. It was being developed by Saber Interactive, who had previously worked on the Nintendo Switch port of the game. However, CD Projekt Red has now confirmed that it has taken over the project’s development.

In a statement released on the official Twitter account for The Witcher game series, a spokesperson for CD Projekt Red said: “We have decided to have our in-house development team conduct the remaining work on the next-gen version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.”

“We are currently evaluating the scope of work to be done and thus have to postpone Q2 release until further notice.” The company added.

Now that an updated schedule has been given, fans won’t have much longer to wait to revisit the game.

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Want to find out more about the future of the serise? A new Witcher game has been confirmed by CD Projekt Red

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