11 years after launch, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt just had its biggest player count ever on Steam. The free Remastered update pulled in 137,724 concurrent players on October 4, but also brought arguments over the new lighting and console bugs.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Remastered release | September 29, 2026, free for existing owners |
| Steam record | 137,724 concurrent players (October 4, 2026) |
| Previous record | About 103,000 (January 2020) |
| Platforms | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 |
| Steam price in Vietnam | VND 800,000 (50% off when OtaHub checked on October 7) |
A record after 11 years
According to SteamDB, as cited by Eurogamer, The Witcher 3 reached 137,724 concurrent players on Steam on the afternoon of October 4, around 10:00 p.m. Vietnam time (UTC+7). On the very day the Remastered launched, the game passed 120,000 players, breaking the record of about 103,000 set in January 2020, when Netflix’s The Witcher series premiered. At its 2015 launch, the figure was only about 92,000.
According to estimates from analytics firm Alinea, the game sold another 130,000 copies on September 30 alone across PC, PlayStation and Xbox, and has passed 66 million copies over its lifetime. These are estimates, not official figures from CD Projekt Red.
What is in the Remastered version?
The Remastered version uses multithreaded DirectX 12, HairWorks with ray tracing, DLSS 4.5 and FSR 4.0 support, a reworked skill tree, a gear appearance-swap feature, improved combat animations, controls for the horse Roach, a photo mode and cross-platform mods through mod.io. Anyone who bought any version gets the upgrade for free, along with the two expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
In exchange, the minimum specs went up: Windows 11, Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 2600, 12 GB RAM, GTX 1660 or RX 5500 XT 8GB, and 60 GB of free SSD space.
Lighting arguments and console bugs
Not everyone is happy. Many players say the new version is “too bright”, and CD Projekt Red released two lighting patches on October 1 and October 2. On October 6, the studio posted on X that the next update will bring “more performance improvements, especially on PS5”, “more visual adjustments” and “fixes for voice-over audio bugs on console”, along with bringing more mods to every platform.
The post was still criticized for mentioning Twitch Drops and a Ukrainian translation first while players were running into serious bugs. On PC, players can roll back to the old version, but on console they cannot. CD Projekt Red declined to comment on the lighting controversy when Eurogamer asked.
OtaHub’s take
An 11-year-old game breaking its player record is rare proof of The Witcher 3’s staying power, and a free upgrade is the best way for CD Projekt Red to keep the community together ahead of the Songs of the Past expansion in 2027. But the price is a bumpy launch, especially on console. If you play on PS5 or Xbox, you may want to wait for the next update. See also OtaHub’s Remastered review.
FAQ
Is The Witcher 3 Remastered free?
Yes for existing owners. CD Projekt Red says anyone who bought any version, disc or digital, gets the upgrade for free, along with the two expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
Which platforms is The Witcher 3 Remastered on?
PC (Steam, GOG, Epic, Battle.net), PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.
What are the minimum specs for The Witcher 3 Remastered?
According to Steam: Windows 11 64-bit, Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 2600, 12 GB RAM, GTX 1660 or RX 5500 XT 8GB with 6 GB of VRAM, and 60 GB of free SSD space.
When is the next Witcher 3 expansion?
The paid expansion Songs of the Past is slated for 2027, set in Letten, on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 2.
Sources: Eurogamer, SteamDB, GamingBolt, RPG Site, CD Projekt Red (X), Alinea, Steam.
