The Witcher 3 Remastered Makes Major Changes to Character Progression, CD Projekt Red Says

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered brought a lot of upgrades to the 2015 RPG, but the one most noticeable was character progression. 

In an interview with the Epic Games Store, Joanna Wieliczko-Masios, Senior Publishing Producer at CD Projekt Red, explained how the remaster’s revised progression system changes the experience for returning players.

“The progression system change is probably one of the most noticeable ones for veterans who know their builds, know the balance of the game and Geralt’s skills,” Wieliczko-Masios said. “With the system reimagined and presented differently, with so many tweaks and changes to what’s available now, building a character, I think, feels fully fresh.”

The Witcher 3 Remastered Changes More Than Graphics

One of the biggest changes in The Witcher 3 Remastered is how players develop Geralt throughout their adventure. CD Projekt Red has reworked the progression system, making character building feel different even for players who have spent years experimenting with the game’s abilities and builds.

For veteran players, the difference will be far more than just adjusting to a new interface. The system has been reimagined, with tweaks to what’s available and how progression is presented. That means players familiar with the original game’s balance and Geralt’s skills will have a different experience when deciding how to develop their character.

These changes are pretty much in sync with their design ideology for the remaster, which, according to Wieliczko-Masios, is “The goal for Remastered was to bring this beloved RPG up to more modern standards, while obviously retaining the soul of the original.”

So, older players will still feel familiar with the new character progression, but there are still changes and tweaks that will make it feel fresh. On top of that, combat and movement are also reworked to make the experience better. 

This allows returning players to experiment with the new system rather than relying on builds they used in their previous playthroughs. 

The Remaster Also Adds New Accessibility Options

Another feature discussed in the interview that is worth mentioning is Bard’s Ballad. It’s an accessibility preset designed to make the game easier by streamlining certain systems of the game.

Wieliczko-Masios explains it better,

I think Bard’s Ballad — the suite of accessibility options new to Remastered — is worth shouting out here. I don’t think such a preset would have been anywhere near as common in 2015, but now you do see much more customizability to help players of all kinds. You can go into the settings and tweak many variables with Bard’s Ballad. You can turn off item weight and item durability, for instance, or enable infinite breath while underwater, and much more. Overall, Bard’s Ballad is designed to help reduce cognitive load — for players who experience mental fatigue or have difficulty concentrating, for example. It streamlines gameplay by simplifying certain mechanics and disabling select features for a smoother, more focused adventure. It feels very in-line with player expectations in 2026.” 

Together with the changes to progression, combat, and movement, these options show how CD Projekt Red has approached the remaster as an opportunity to revisit the original game’s mechanics rather than focus exclusively on its presentation.

In short, The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Remastered has new experiences for both new and veteran players. Whether it’s the revamped combat and progression or the ability to tailor your experience through Bard’s Ballad, the remaster definitely looks like something to jump into.