The Witcher 3 Remastered is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. The substantial update improves the long-running RPG, although some players may prefer to disable its bloom effect.
Owners of the digital version on any of those platforms receive the remastered edition at no extra cost. On Switch 2, however, there is another route: a physical Nintendo Switch copy can apparently unlock the remaster even if you do not already own the game digitally.
How the free Switch 2 upgrade works
Insert the original Witcher 3 Switch cartridge into a Switch 2, update the game and launch it. An upgrade option within the game can then provide access to the digital remastered release.
Once the upgrade has been claimed, the original cartridge is reportedly no longer required to play the remastered version. A Switch 2 player confirmed that the cartridge was no longer needed after claiming the remaster.
“Can confirm. Switch 1 cartridge is no longer needed after claiming witcher 3 remastered.”
The report was posted by u/Howwy23 in the NintendoSwitch2 community.
Borrowing one copy may be enough
Another player, Reddit user Erik_REF, said they used an older cartridge to claim the free digital upgrade before lending it to their brother. The brother was reportedly able to repeat the process with the same cartridge.
Other players have also reported that the method works. Taken together, those reports suggest that a borrowed cartridge could be sufficient: one person could use it to claim the remaster, return it and allow somebody else to do the same.
This makes an old physical copy potentially useful for sharing among friends or borrowing from a library, provided the reported upgrade process remains available. The source reports also suggest that a cartridge could be sold after the digital version has been claimed, though there is no guarantee the process will remain unchanged.
A generous upgrade for an older RPG
The Witcher 3 Remastered launched on 29 September for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Switch 2. It is described as a major overhaul of the original game, while owners of the existing digital release receive the updated edition automatically.
For more gaming news, browse RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog, or explore the arcade video collection. If you are planning a dedicated gaming setup, the arcade machine buying guide covers the main options.
Switch 2 owners with an original cartridge can therefore try the update without buying the remaster again. The essential steps are simple: update the game, start it and select the upgrade from inside The Witcher 3.
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