CD PROJEKT RED has posted about using pre-existing mods with The Witcher 3: Next-Gen Update and given an early preview of it on PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles. The CDPR updates about mods are a mixed bag. The company has said that it has tried to make the transition as smooth as possible and has tested a number of popular mods to see if they still work.
“We hear your questions about mods after the upcoming The Witcher 3 update. I’ll try to answer them as best I can:
Updating a game means that we change various files, so the mods that modify those exact files stop working. If we want to change things in the game or add stuff, it cannot be avoided, and our teams have to focus on making updates as good as possible, not minimizing change.
Still, in the case of TW3 it’s been 6 years (or 4 if counting since 1.32) since the last PC update, and it’s a long time to get used to one’s favorite mods. And we want this transition to be as smooth as possible.“
The CDPR updates also state that its team behind the next-gen version will provide help and advice to the modding community. They’ve already discovered that script changes made to accommodate a new quest have broken many mods that depend on the previous scripts. The team will be releasing a new mod kit that includes more bug fixes.
The next-gen update will also include several popular mods that CDPR was able to obtain permission from their creators, who will be credited at the end of the game. CDPR has provided a list of mods it has tested, with a disclaimer that it may not be 100% accurate as the game was still under development while testing was being done. A number of members on its forum have already commented that some of the more popular mods are still working, per the list, and even said that at the rate the community posts new mods it will probably be a short amount of time before broken ones are fixed or new ones are created.
Hands-on Console Preview
In addition to the updates regarding mods, CDPR also held an event at its office in Poland. Digital Foundry attended and was able to test the next-gen version on the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles. The overall impression was positive. While players should not expect the game to feel like a brand new 2022 game it has received significant performance improvements, visual polish, and a number of new features.
Ahead of its full patch roll-out on 14th December we had a chance to visit CD Projekt Red’s offices to try the new PS5 and Xbox Series X release of The Witcher 3. Today, its new ray tracing modes are tested, and the 60FPS mode is put through its paces too – with plenty of details on the upcoming PC upgrade included. Tom explores the opening White Orchard segment of the game – with plenty more to show when it releases in full.
Details for The Witcher 3: Next-gen update can be found here.