Everything You Need to Know Before You Play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen Upgrade

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is back and better than ever. With the December 14, 2022, next-gen upgrade of CD Projekt Red’s generation-defining RPG, returning fans of the series and droves of soon-to-be Witcher fanatics now have an opportunity to explore the Northern Realms on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Before playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s next-gen upgrade, here is everything you need to know.

New Players are Welcome

A common excuse for avoiding The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is that some won’t play the game because they haven’t experienced the previous two titles in the series (2007’s The Witcher and the 2011 title, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings), read Andrzej Sapkowski’s seminal Witcher book series or watched the Netflix TV series either. However, The Witcher 3 provides the best of both worlds for new fans and veterans, as the story can be enjoyed without watching, reading, or playing any previous Witcher content. Still, there are plenty of allusions and discussions of past events for returning players too. You can go in fresh without knowing a single returning character and still feel mesmerized by the game’s excellent narrative and extensive open world. The Witcher 3 even provides a menu cinematic explaining the series’ premise and even allows players to simulate a Witcher 2: Asssasin’s of Kings save file, which is discussed further in the related link below.

Related: Witcher 3 Next-Gen: Should you Turn Simulate Witcher 2 Save On or Off? – Answered

Difficulty Settings

Not sure which difficulty to play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s next-gen upgrade on? Read the article below for a breakdown of the game’s difficulty settings.

Related: The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Upgrade Difficulty Modes Explained

Graphics Settings

For the next-gen upgrade, there are two new graphics settings: Performance and Ray Tracing. Use the following related link to learn how to switch graphical settings, and determine which frame rate mode is right for you.

Related: How to Change the Graphics Mode in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen Upgrade

Quick Casting

One of the best new features found in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s next-gen upgrade is the introduction of quick casting. While it is not a default feature, quick casting enhances the already excellent magical combat of The Witcher 3. Make sure to use the link below to discover how to quick cast.

Related: How to Activate Quick Casting in The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Upgrade

Netflix-Inspired DLC

There is an exciting new quest in The Witcher 3’s next-gen upgrade, which is inspired by Netflix’s television adaptation of The Witcher. Follow the related link below for a full walkthrough detailing where to find the game’s newest side mission and important info you might otherwise miss.

Related: The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Update Netflix DLC Walkthrough

New Character Skins

There are two new character skins introduced in the next-gen upgrade, including an Alternate Dandelion Appearance and Alternate Nilfgaardian armor; find out how to turn on the alternative skins using the link below.

Related: How to Get the Netflix Alternative Dandelion Appearance in Witcher 3

Photo Mode

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt finally has photo mode thanks to CD Projekt Red’s free upgrade. Find everything you need about photo mode in the related article below.

Related: How to Use Photo Mode in The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Upgrade

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: 2015 vs. 2022

How does The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s next-gen upgrade stack up against its last-gen predecessor? The following article details the discrepancy between the two games’ Metacritic scores.

Related: The Witcher 3 Next Gen Upgrade’s Metacritic Score is Out – How Does It Compare to Previous Versions?

Prima Games’ Review of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen Upgrade

If you are not sold on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s next-gen upgrade, read Prima Games’ review for an in-depth analysis of the game’s free update.

Related: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen Upgrade Review | The Test of Time

For more news, reviews, guides, and features on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s next-gen upgrade and the videogame industry in general, Prima Games has everything you need just a click away.

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