Haven’t Revisited The Witcher 3 Since the Upgrade? The ‘NextGen Edition’ Mod Enhances Graphics on the Latest Version

At the tail end of 2022, fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt had a reason to cheer as a commendable next-gen update rolled out without any additional cost for those who already owned the game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While PC players enjoyed the most noticeable visual enhancements, the dedicated modding community didn’t sit still. Empowered with full modding tools, they continued to push the game’s visuals further, enhancing textures, meshes, and more. Enter Halk Hogan with his ‘The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project NextGen Edition,’ ready to elevate the game even further.

The creator has meticulously worked on this mod for quite some time, stating confidently that it “improves and reworks a vast amount of game assets including textures, models, materials, and more,” with these changes tallying to the thousands. Judging by the hefty 12GB download, Halk Hogan is not exaggerating one bit. For those needing CD Projekt Red’s endorsement, rest assured, you have it here.

As much as we enjoy quirky mods like turning Geralt into a centaur, many players ultimately seek the best version of a modern open-world classic. Just like how The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim from 2011 continues thriving with incredible mods, we can expect CD Projekt Red’s RPG masterpiece to receive its own share of impressive mods, whether they’re lore-friendly or blissfully whimsical, for the foreseeable future.

Before you dive into this mod, make sure your PC’s ready to handle it. Watch a portion of Halk Hogan’s extensive 15-minute video showcasing the updates to a variety of models, textures, and other assets:

Hop over to YouTube to see it in action.

You’ll notice that the mod isn’t just about making objects sharper. The landscape geometry and level of detail get a solid upgrade, even in the more distant features. Despite the official current-gen update already adding ray tracing and numerous graphical enhancements, it always seemed odd that some basic visual elements remained untouched. Halk Hogan’s mod ties everything together nicely. It appears to be a simple ‘replacement’ mod, promising compatibility with other mods affecting different areas of the game. In fact, it’s reported to work with older versions of the game too, and with minimal impact on frame rates, provided your system has sufficient video memory. Rest easy, it’s far from being an ENB preset that demands a powerhouse rig.

Even for console players, a fresh playthrough could be just the thing to mark its tenth anniversary next year. And considering that the next installment in The Witcher series has just moved into full-scale production, we’re in for quite a wait before we embark on new adventures with Geralt or whoever picks up the mantle.