The Witcher 3 Remastered Functions as an Update on PS5 Without a New Trophy List

Developer CD Projekt Red has confirmed that The Witcher 3 Remastered—announced recently at Gamescom—will operate as a direct update to the existing game client on Sony's current-generation console, rather than releasing as a completely separate standalone edition. According to CD Projekt Red community director Marcin Momot, who addressed fan questions on social media, players who already own the native PS5 Complete Edition will simply download an update to transition the software to the Remastered version.

Because the remaster is handled as an in-place update rather than a brand-new storefront SKU, there will be no new Trophy list created for hardcore trophy hunters to conquer. Existing trophies and achievements will remain as they are. On the positive side, this architecture ensures that players will experience zero disruption to their progress, as previous save files remain fully compatible with the Remastered edition.

Meanwhile, technical details have also emerged regarding how the upgraded project will perform on portable hardware. Speaking to PC Gamer, CD Projekt Red’s executive producer of external projects, Jakub Kutrzuba, noted that the Remastered version will run smoothly on the Steam Deck. Despite including upgraded assets, new content, and advanced rendering features, the updated engine offers optimization improvements that allow systems to work faster. Kutrzuba explained that the new rendering features grant the game a more efficient hardware budget, providing a more beautiful image at the same performance cost, which also applies to the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 version of the Remaster.