Switch 2 owners no longer have to wait. CD Projekt Red announced on October 19, 2026 that Patch 5.01 for The Witcher 3 Remastered is rolling out on Nintendo Switch 2 and is available in most regions now. According to the studio, the Japanese version will follow once it has passed certification.
A clearer picture in handheld mode
Since launch, the most common complaint about the Switch 2 version has been a soft, blurry image, especially when playing handheld. The patch’s Switch 2 section addresses that directly: CD Projekt Red says it has adjusted image sharpening and resolution to improve clarity and fidelity. The studio has not published target resolutions or before-and-after figures, so how big the difference is remains to be seen until players and tech outlets have tested it.
Other Switch 2 fixes
- A rare crash when travelling between in-game regions has been fixed.
- Cache handling for Cross-Platform Mod Support has been optimized.
- HD Rumble now works in both Joy-Con 2 controllers when climbing ladders, not only the left one.
- Map pins can no longer be placed on the black bars around the map.
The same fixes other platforms already have
Beyond the platform-specific changes, the Switch 2 update brings over the general fixes that reached PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S earlier in October. Highlights include Blade Oil auto-apply staying on between sessions, boats no longer drifting uncontrollably, smoother ladder animations, a more responsive dodge, and stamina no longer draining completely when sprinting and dodging at the same time. Geralt also stops bumping into bodies after an Aard finisher, Vesemir no longer repeats the same line when Quen is cast over and over, Exploding Shield now reflects damage, and the Synergy skill shows its correct values.
On the visual side, the patch adjusts Bloom, tone mapping and character lighting, and adds settings for Bloom, Light Shafts and Depth of Field. A fix for voiceover becoming much quieter after browsing the pause menu tabs now applies on consoles too.
Things to know before you update
CD Projekt Red notes that the policy consent screen will show up again because of a backend issue, so you will need to confirm your preferences once more. My Rewards and Twitch/Bilibili Drops will now appear in the chest in Vizima even if you opened it before, which may give you duplicates of some items. The patch also includes a fix for an issue that could affect save data, with measures for saves that were already hit, and Ukrainian text localization is now available in all regions.
With this release, all platforms are on Patch 5.01. PS5 and Xbox have since received their own Hotfix 5.01b on PlayStation and the Series S upscaler change on Xbox; CD Projekt Red has not said whether a similar follow-up is planned for Switch 2.
Back on the Path
Once the update is installed, plan your next setup in the Witcher 3 Build Planner or browse Community Builds, check which oils and Signs to use in Monster Weaknesses, and put together a deck in the Gwent Deck Builder before taking on the Gwent opponents. New players can start with the Beginner’s Guide, and the Witcher 3 Hub gathers everything else, including the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion.
