CD Projekt Red may use fan-made PC mods for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S upgrades. The studio announced the next-gen updates late last year, but didn't offer much in the way of specifics about what changes are in store. At the very least, fans can rest assured The Witcher 3's upgrade remains on track for a late 2021 launch.
The company confirmed its release plans for the upgrades a few weeks ago during a Fiscal Year 2020 earnings call. CD Projekt Red told investors that PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of both The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 are slated to roll out in the second half of this year. Interestingly, CDPR issued other noteworthy bits of information about the two franchises in a March 2021 "Strategy Update," detailing a coming shift to a "parallel development" model that will see the studio's multiple teams produce future Cyberpunk and Witcher projects simultaneously.
Apparently, CD Projekt Red might enlist the help of the PC modding community as it continues to develop The Witcher 3's next-gen upgrades. A modder who goes by HalkHogan on Nexus Mods divulged as much in a post earlier this week, explaining their recent absence from the platform. HalkHogan said, "I think the most important news is that I got an official message from CDPR about cooperation. While it's not certain yet, it's very likely that HDRP (HD Rework Project) will be included in the official next-generation update."
Recently, Kotaku reached out to CDPR and received the following statement, which notes the studio is indeed in talks with The Witcher 3's modding community: “In addition to our own development efforts on the upcoming next-gen version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC, we are also in talks with creators of various mods for the 2015 release of the game.” Nothing is set in stone as of yet, the CDPR spokesperson continued, adding that "as of this time, however, we do not have any binding agreements with any such party." Kotaku asked if modders will receive compensation and credit if their work appears in the final product. CDPR couldn't provide an answer on the matter, likely because no deals have been struck as of yet.
HalkHogan's HDRP mod specifically target's The Witcher's 3's graphics, swapping in higher-detailed textures, improving draw distance, and adding reworked materials and shaders. It stands to reason, then, that CD Projekt Red's own work on the next-gen upgrades could benefit from utilizing these changes and others. Here's to hoping modders are fairly compensated should their efforts be employed to bolster those of the development crew.
The last mainline Witcher entry launched nearly six years ago, ushering in a new standard for open-world games in terms of content and storytelling. CDPR continues to gain from the fruits of that labor, too, evidenced by news that The Witcher 3 recently reached 30 million units sold.
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S upgrades for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are expected to launch later this year.
Source: Nexus Mods via Kotaku