The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Edition Physical Release Set for January 26: Details

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen Edition will receive a physical copy later this week. Starting January 26, stores around the world – including India – will host boxed editions of the critically acclaimed RPG, for the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The announcement comes shortly after CD Projekt Red launched the much-delayed next-gen (now current-gen) version of the game as a digital upgrade on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X in December. The main highlights involved improved visuals with ray tracing support, a photo mode, faster console loading times, and a variety of mods built into the package.

India is among the first group of countries to receive physical copies of next-gen versions of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, alongside the US, UK, France and the majority of Europe . Pre-orders in India are now live at GamesTheShop, at Rs. 2,999 for either platform. However, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon will only get a PS5 release on January 26. Australia and New Zealand will get their share on January 27, while South American countries will get theirs on January 31. only a PS5 version will be released much later, on February 9, while the release date in Brazil is yet to be determined. You can read more information about availability on the official CD Projekt Red website.

The latest version of The Witcher 3 brings a ton of visual and quality of life changes to appeal to a new generation of gamers. The PS5 and Xbox Series S/X versions come with graphics settings that allow players to choose between 60fps performance and 30fps quality modes, the latter prioritizing visual fidelity over smoother images . (Ray-tracing is not planned for the Series S release.) The edition also includes content inspired by Netflix’s long-awaited The Witcher series from CD Projekt Red, which adds a series of quests unique to the mixture. Completing the same rewards grants players gear inspired by Henry Cavill’s portrayal in the series, in addition to optional costumes for other main characters and the Nilfgaardian soldiers. A highly editable photo mode, in the vein of their very recent Cyberpunk 2077, is also included.

Character models are heavily improved throughout the game, and it adds a new optional over-the-shoulder camera for Geralt, similar to God of War (2018) and Batman: Arkham Knight. Then there are map filters that help get rid of question marks or icons cluttering the map, drawing heavily on open-world titles such as Elden Ring and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Reduced map markers add a new sense of wonder and curiosity when exploring the continent. The update also allows you to pause the game during cutscenes, a feature that was not available in the original release.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt next-gen update is out now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X. Physical editions (CDs) will be available starting January 26 for PS5 and Xbox Series X.