Highlights

  • The Witcher 3 mod introduces iconic locations from The Witcher 1 with advanced graphics and textures for a nostalgic yet enhanced experience.
  • The mod, created using CD Projekt Red's REDkit modding tools, offers players the chance to explore familiar environments in a more vibrant and realistic way.
  • While the mod may have imperfections, such as geometry issues and texture glitches, it provides a taste of what to expect in the official Witcher 1 remake.

A fan has uploaded a mod for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that introduces several maps from the original Witcher game. This project, one of the first to utilize CD Projekt Red's recently released REDkit modding tools, ports iconic locations into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

The Witcher videogame series offers a gripping journey through the world of Geralt of Rivia, a skilled monster hunter known as a Witcher. In The Witcher 1, players are introduced to Geralt as he navigates through political intrigue and battles supernatural forces in the Northern Kingdoms. Subsequently, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt elevated the franchise with its vast open-world setting, immersive storytelling, and morally ambiguous choices. Both games, while distinct in their gameplay and scope, left an important mark on the gaming landscape.

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NexusMods user AngryCatster uploaded a mod for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that introduces ported locations such as Vizima dike, Temple quarter, Trade quarter, and Old Vizima from The Witcher 1 into the game. The mod recreates these familiar environments using the advanced graphics and improved textures of The Witcher 3. This results in a more vibrant and realistic rendition of the original locations, enhancing the overall aesthetic with better lighting, textures, and atmosphere while maintaining the nostalgic essence of the original scenarios, offering a modest alternative for players eagerly awaiting the official Witcher 1 remake.

The Witcher 3 Mod Demo Video Showcasing Witcher 1 Locations

The mod's creation was made possible by the release of the REDkit modding tools for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on May 21. These powerful tools, available for free to all PC players who own the game on Steam, GOG, or the Epic Games Store, enable users to create new quests, characters, animations, and even entire story lines. CD Projekt Red also launched a Steam Workshop beta, allowing players to share and access mods created with REDkit.

Despite the appealing visuals, AngryCatster notes that the mod does have some imperfections due to the straightforward porting process. Players might encounter issues such as falling out of bounds, unusual geometry, and basic material textures without advanced PBR maps. Additionally, terrain textures may appear incorrect. Installation involves downloading RedKit, placing the mod in the project’s directory, and navigating through some potential crashes during the loading process.

Announced under the codename Canis Majoris, the official remake of The Witcher 1 promises significant visual and gameplay enhancements using Unreal Engine 5. The project aims to modernize the experience, adopting an open-world structure similar to The Witcher 3, and revising outdated elements while potentially reworking the original voice acting and dialogue. Although it's still in its early stages, with a likely release date several years away, players can at least indulge in walking through some of its scenarios by trying out AngryCatster's mod.