CD Projekt RED has released another update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered, and some of the most noticeable improvements are focused on the game’s visuals. Patch 5.01 is available now across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, bringing visual adjustments alongside gameplay fixes, performance improvements, and other changes.

The visual changes are already getting attention from players. CDPR says it has made adjustments to Bloom, tone mapping, character lighting, Ray Tracing, and Path Tracing, which together can significantly affect how the remaster looks. In particular, changes to tone mapping can influence how brightness and colors are presented, while lighting and shadow improvements can make scenes look more natural and give them greater depth.

What’s new in The Witcher 3 Remastered version 5.01?

Players comparing the updated game with its launch version have noticed the difference. One fan said CDPR has fixed the brightness and color tone mapping while making the shadows look much stronger, adding that the game now “looks like a proper remaster.” Another player said The Witcher 3 Remastered looks “completely different” compared to its release version just over a week ago.

The visual adjustments aren’t the only important changes in Patch 5.01. CDPR has addressed several gameplay problems, including an issue that could make dodging respond with an unintended delay. Automatically Apply Blade Oils should also now work correctly without needing to be enabled again during the current session, while Geralt’s stamina will no longer be completely drained when sprinting and dodging simultaneously.

PC players have received several graphics-related fixes as well. The GTAO Quality option should no longer reset after restarting the game, while CDPR has fixed cases where unsupported graphics settings could be enabled on certain GPUs. The game should also no longer mistakenly apply DLSS or XeSS when using graphics cards that don’t support those technologies. 

Console players haven’t been left out. CDPR has added Bloom, Light Shafts, and Depth of Field settings to consoles, giving players more control over the presentation. There are also general performance optimizations, fixes for incorrect frame-rate limits on the base PS5, and a fix for PlayStation 5 settings resetting whenever the game was launched.

CDPR is also working on an update for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Witcher 3 Remastered. It will bring it closer to the other versions while improving Switch 2-specific areas such as image clarity and sharpness, with more information expected soon.

That said, these are only some of the changes included in Patch 5.01. For the complete list of gameplay, visual, UI, PC, and console fixes, you can check out the official patch notes.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.