Despite its issues, The Witcher 3 next-gen update is arguably the best way to play the game. However, a few bugs and issues have slipped the net which have been addressed in the latest. Despite being a “feature” in the game since 2015, the developers have made the decision to remove Geralt’s ability to eat or drink anything other than potions and decoctions underwater.
Another controversial change is the ability to auto-apply oils during combat. Many community members feel like this detracts from the game’s mechanics. Some argue that preparing for an encounter, scoping out the enemy, and applying the appropriate oil is a critical part of being a skilled Witcher, and this feature brings the game closer to hack n slash territory. Regardless or the debate, patch 4.03 is now live on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
The Witcher 3 update 4.03 patch notes
PC-SPECIFIC
- Fixed an issue with ray-traced vegetation shadows “popping”, depending on Geralt’s proximity and angle.
- Fixed an issue where repeatedly disabling and enabling ray-traced reflections and shadows could cause black shadows to appear at the edge of objects.
- Addressed the issue where the DirectX 11 version of the game could crash on launch or after loading a save on certain AMD GPUs.
- Added support for Intel Xe Super Sampling, an upscaling technology that uses machine learning to improve performance and image quality.
- Fixed some lighting issues with Screen Space Reflections when ray-traced global illumination is off.
- Performance improvements to ray-traced global illumination and ray-traced reflections.
- Fixed an issue where purple splashes could appear on the screen when riding Roach through puddles of water.
CONSOLE-SPECIFIC
- The Cross Progression pop-up will now properly display which account is logged in.
- Fixed an issue where dark stripes or shadows appeared on Geralt in the inventory screen when Performance Mode was enabled on PlayStation 5.
- Fixed an issue where the game could briefly freeze or stutter when autosaving on next-gen consoles.
- Addressed the issue of performance drops on next-gen consoles while using Witcher Senses in Beauclair and Novigrad.
VISUAL – PC and Next-Gen Exclusive
- Fixed an issue where a grid of light spots could appear on the ground and walls in certain weather conditions with Ray Tracing enabled.
- Spider webs will no longer change color when moving the camera with Ray Tracing enabled.
- Fixed an issue where some textures on characters during cutscenes would appear as not fully rendered.
- Through Time and Space – Fixed an issue where the mist in the Poisoned Valley was pink instead of white.
QUESTS & GAMEPLAY – PC and Next-Gen Exclusives
- Added the community-made mod Next Gen Script Fixes by Sergeanur.
QUESTS & GAMEPLAY – Available on all platforms
- In the Eternal Fire’s Shadow – The ambient music from the quest will no longer continue playing after completion. For players who have already experienced this issue, it may be necessary to enter the Novigrad or Oxenfurt sewers again to resolve it.
- Added an option to auto-apply oils in combat.
- With the exception of potions and decoctions, it’s now impossible for Geralt to eat or drink underwater. // While the team agreed it might be possible to drink liquids from a corked flask, consuming pints of ale or grilled meats underwater is too much of a stretch.
The Nintendo Switch patch for The Witcher 3 will go live soon, migrating users to the new Cross Progression system. This will allow users to pick up from the same spot regardless of platform. The only caveat is that players need a GOG account to avail of this functionality.
