In the closing months of 2022, fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt were treated to a substantial next-gen upgrade at no additional cost for those who owned the game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Sure, the PC version got the most dazzling visual overhaul, but that didn’t slow down the modding community. With full access to the modding tools, they’ve been hard at work refining textures, meshes, and more. Enter Halk Hogan’s ‘The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project NextGen Edition,’ which is really kicking things up a notch.
Halk Hogan, the creator, boasts that this mod, which has been in development for quite some time, “enhances and refines a vast array of game assets (textures, models, materials, and more), with thousands of these tweaks made.” The mod’s download size approaching 12GB is a testament to that claim, making it quite a hefty update. And if you’re seeking CD Projekt Red’s approval, rest assured, it’s here.
While quirky mods like turning Geralt into a centaur are amusing, most players ultimately aim to experience the finest version of this modern open-world epic. When you consider how The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, released in 2011, continues to thrive with fresh mods daily, it’s safe to say that CD Projekt Red’s RPG marvel, in my opinion, will be enjoying impressive modifications—lore-friendly or otherwise—for a long time.
To get a sense of whether your PC can handle this mod, I’d strongly suggest checking out Halk Hogan’s recent 15-minute video. It’s a deep dive into the changes made to various models, textures, and assets, and it’s a real treat:
As the video demonstrates, this mod enhances more than just the sharpness of objects. The landscapes now boast significantly more detail, even improving the level of detail (LOD) features. Despite the current-gen update incorporating ray tracing and other advanced graphical enhancements, it’s surprising that some basic visual elements were left untouched.
Thanks to Halk Hogan’s efforts, the game’s visuals feel more unified, and since it acts as a replacement mod, it maintains compatibility with other game modifications. Plus, it also runs smoothly on the previous version of the game with minimal impact on frame rates, provided your system has the extra video memory to spare. It’s not as resource-intensive as those demanding ENB presets.
Even if you’re still playing on the console version, it might be the perfect time for a new playthrough to commemorate the game’s tenth anniversary next year (yes, sorry to remind you). The next installment of The Witcher series has just begun full-scale production, so it’ll be a while before we see it.
