The Witcher 3 Remastered Dials Down the Brightness: CD Projekt Red Is Already Fixing Its Remaster

Rarely does a free remaster spark so much conversation in so little time. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered arrived this week at no extra cost and, instead of a parade of praise, it ignited a debate over whether its visual changes actually improve the experience. The point repeated most across social media and forums was always the same: the game looks too bright. According to GameSpot, CD Projekt Red seems to agree with the community, as it has already released a patch with lighting adjustments for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Play Anywhere version on PC.

Why does it matter? Because we're talking about one of the most beloved RPGs of the past decade, from a studio that knows all too well what it costs to lose players' trust with a technically shaky launch. A response arriving within days is a good sign. The fact that one was needed so soon says a lot about the state the product shipped in. The studio has also confirmed it is working on another PC hotfix that will tackle a save game issue, something many players have reported.

What you need to know

• The Witcher 3 remaster launched for free and drew criticism, mainly for excessive brightness.
• A patch is already out for Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and the Xbox Play Anywhere version on PC, with several lighting adjustments.
• The update also fixes some interiors that looked too dark and enables DLSS on Xbox Play Anywhere.
• CD Projekt Red is preparing a separate PC hotfix focused on a save game bug.
• Other PC versions are not getting this patch, possibly because the bloom setting there lets players fix the problem themselves.

What changes and who it affects

The patch notes, shared by CD Projekt Red on social media, are short but clear. On one hand, they fix a bug that left DLSS unavailable in the Xbox Play Anywhere version on PC, no small detail for anyone gaming on NVIDIA cards and looking for stable performance. On the other, they apply various lighting adjustments, including a fix for interiors that were too dark. In other words, the problem wasn't just too much light: the overall balance of the image was off at both extremes. Finally, the patch includes other changes to bring parity with the PC version.

There is a logical explanation for PC versions from other stores being left out of this update, as GameSpot points out: the fix most likely revolves around the bloom setting, which players on those versions can adjust themselves. That doesn't mean PC users are spared the wait, since the hotfix for the save issue is still on its way.

Our take

Here at Underworld Lordz, we're clear on this: lighting isn't just an aesthetic whim. For anyone who plays seriously, a blown-out image or interiors where you can't make anything out affect how you read your surroundings, how you spot enemies and, ultimately, how comfortable long sessions feel. The Witcher 3 isn't a competitive title, but it is a game many of our players and creators use to unwind, run long streams or take on speedrun-style challenges. And there, poorly calibrated brightness shows in every minute of the broadcast.

CD Projekt Red deserves credit for how quickly it reacted, but the obvious also needs saying: these adjustments should have been caught before launch. A version shipping without DLSS available, or with a save bug reported by many users, isn't a matter of polish; it's quality control. The studio still carries the memory of troubled launches, and every stumble, even in a free update, reopens that wound.

For content creators, the advice is simple: if you're going to record or stream the remaster, update before you start and check your visual settings, especially on PC, where bloom is in your hands. And if you play on PC outside Xbox Play Anywhere, it might be worth waiting for the hotfix before sinking dozens of hours into a new playthrough.

What do you think?

The remaster is free and CD Projekt Red reacted quickly, but the complaints were more than justified. Are these patches enough for you, or do you think the studio should have delayed the launch until it was polished? Let us know in the team chat or on our Discord.