Not long ago, the CDPR team announced that the highly acclaimed classic RPG sequel The Witcher 3 would receive another “remastered version” with fully enhanced visuals, while offering a free upgrade to players who already own the game, giving them a chance to revisit this classic with more detailed graphics before the latest expansion DLC, Songs of the Past, launches in 2027. However, the new-and-old version graphics comparison video recently released by the official team has sparked polarized reactions among players, with some even feeling that the remastered visuals have actually been downgraded?
This video shows Geralt using the Igni Sign to fight a group of drowners in a swamp area, and compares the original game’s visuals side by side with the remastered version. Although Geralt’s armor does have more detailed material rendering in the remastered version, and the water surface details are richer, the reflection effects in the game’s visuals don’t seem to have convinced players.
Choose your cast – wisely. #TheWitcher3Remastered pic.twitter.com/zcgLSvLvDi
— The Witcher (@thewitcher) September 23, 2026
In the “original” game footage from this video, players can see the sign’s flames reflected in the murky water beneath the drowner’s feet, forming a blurry orange glow. Given that the “remastered version” uses more modern ray tracing technology, it should easily surpass this, but players found that the flames in the remastered footage do not produce a reflection on the ground.
Not only that, but the two versions also show a fairly noticeable difference in how they render fog. In the original game, players can see fog that sits closer to the ground and has more defined outlines, while the remake uses a fog effect that places greater emphasis on atmosphere in the distance. As a result, the biggest differences between the remake and the original visuals are tied to the ray tracing the team introduced for the new version, but the actual visuals have left fans deeply skeptical.
As a result, after this comparison video was released, many players shared their opinions and complaints on social media. Some said that although the remastered version introduced modern ray tracing technology, it actually delivered worse water reflections and fog effects. Not only that, even the drowners’ appearance lacked the scales and muddy feel of the original. Some players even bluntly asked whether CDPR had accidentally swapped the visuals of the old and new versions.
As of now, it has been officially confirmed that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered will officially launch on September 29. Players interested in trying it can also carry their saves over to the latest version to continue Geralt’s adventure, and if they are dissatisfied with the remastered version’s visuals, they can, in theory, revert to an earlier version on their own at any time.
Source: KOCPC Chinese