CD Projekt Red never considered charging for The Witcher 3 remaster, and says expansion Songs of the Past came from a couple of "happy accidents"

CD Projekt Red never contemplated charging consumers for the recently announced The Witcher 3 Remastered edition, which was unveiled at Gamescom. This extensive overhaul of the 11-year-old RPG enhances the game visually and improves gameplay elements such as combat, enemy behavior, horse riding, and skill trees. The company's joint-CEO, Michał Nowakowski, stated that the thought of charging for the remaster never crossed their minds.

Instead, they viewed it as an improvement and an opportunity to introduce the Songs of the Past expansion. The remaster will be a free upgrade for all existing owners of The Witcher 3. CD Projekt Red also revealed that they will bundle the game's two expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, with future purchases. The company has considered the idea of remastering The Witcher 3 for years, but an unexpected collaboration with Fool's Theory, a studio of former CD Projekt Red employees, sparked the project.

Nowakowski revealed that they had originally intended to never revisit the game, but "a couple of happy accidents" led to the development of the remaster and the expansion. The Witcher 3 Remastered edition is slated for release on September 29th, accompanied by a Switch 2 version, while Songs of the Past is expected to arrive the following year, followed by The Witcher 4 in 2028.