Patch 5.01 Overview

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered has received a significant patch designed to tweak the presentation and overall performance of CD Projekt’s open-world RPG epic.

Despite the remaster offering a host of visual and mechanical improvements over the base game, some players took issue with its heavy bloom effects. These settings created a washed-out look and removed many of the original game's stark shadows, making it difficult to appreciate other graphical enhancements.

Many players noted that the blooming effects made the environment look overly bright and washed out, a setting that was previously adjustable on PC but absent from console versions.

Console Graphics Controls

The latest patch addresses that issue by allowing console players to toggle bloom off, alongside light shafts and depth of field. The developer has also made targeted improvements to tone mapping, character lighting, and advanced ray tracing and path tracing technologies.

CD Projekt also confirmed that an update for the Nintendo Switch 2 version is in development to bring greater visual parity and improved image clarity and sharpness across all platforms.

Prior to the patch, community members utilized forums to share comparison shots highlighting how aggressive bloom impacted the game's atmosphere.

Patch 5.01 measures roughly 5.5 GB on consoles and 8.5 GB on PC, delivering a comprehensive slate of technical optimizations.

Looking ahead, CD Projekt's next major installment, The Witcher 4, is currently planned for a 2028 release.

Additionally, a brand-new expansion for The Witcher 3 titled Songs of the Past is expected to arrive in 2027.

Players jumping back into the continent can utilize various in-game guides and progression systems to optimize their builds and explore missed content.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered Update 5.01 Patch Notes

Gameplay fixes

Fixed an issue where the Automatically Apply Blade Oils feature would work only if enabled during the current game session.

Fixed an issue where, under specific circumstances, player-controlled boats could start moving uncontrollably and ignore terrain collisions.

Improved ladder interaction animations and resolved various minor traversal hitches.

Fixed an issue where Geralt would collide with dead enemies after the Aard finisher.

Fixed an issue where NPC dialogue could repeat if specific signs were cast multiple times in quick succession.

Fixed an issue where dodging could exhibit an unintentionally delayed response during intense combat sequences.

Fixed an issue where it was possible to throw a bomb even if the option was disabled in the menu.

Fixed an issue where the bonus granted by the Synergy skill displayed incorrect values.

Added damage reflection properties to the Exploding Shield skill.

Fixed an issue where Geralt's Stamina would be fully drained when sprinting and dodging simultaneously.

User interface updates

Fixed an issue where ability point notification pop-ups could remain stuck on the screen.

Fixed input hints flashing briefly on the meditation screen.

Fixed an issue where the potions tutorial failed to appear after accessing the consumables tab.

Fixed misaligned progress bars across various UI menus.

PC-specific updates

Fixed an issue where the GTAO Quality setting would reset after restarting the game.

Fixed an issue where Dynamic Resolution Scaling could display incorrect settings after changing anti-aliasing modes.

Fixed cases where users could enable graphics settings unsupported by their specific GPU hardware.

Fixed an issue where switching graphics presets could apply DLSS or XeSS on unsupported graphics cards.

Changed the default Dynamic Resolution Scaling setting to OFF.

Fixed an issue where skill tooltips would fail to update until hovered over again.

Fixed an issue where the game could occasionally select the wrong active GPU.

Console-specific updates

Added dedicated Bloom, Light Shafts, and Depth of Field toggle options to console graphics settings.

Implemented various underlying optimizations to improve overall console performance.

Fixed an issue on PlayStation 5 where graphics settings would reset upon every game launch.

Resolved an audio bug where voiceovers became significantly quieter than other in-game sounds after opening pause menu tabs.

Fixed frame rate limit inconsistencies across different graphics modes on base PlayStation 5 hardware.

Ukrainian text localization is now fully available across all regional versions.

General adjustments

Applied comprehensive visual adjustments, including refinements to tone mapping, character lighting, ray tracing, and path tracing features.

The policy consent screen will appear again due to backend updates, requiring users to re-confirm their telemetry and privacy preferences.

Fixed an issue where rewards and promotional drops failed to appear correctly in the chest in Vizima.

Fixed an issue where environmental foliage failed to react properly to player collisions.

Resolved critical issues affecting save file integrity and introduced safeguards for previously impacted saves.

Fixed an issue where Dynamic Resolution Scaling could generate visual artifacts under specific hardware configurations.