A Remastered Witcher 3 Means A New Bathtub Geralt

Reviews are out for the snazzy remaster of The Witcher 3today, which I cannot yet play because I’m away from my computer and also because I haven’t updated to Windows 11. People who have spent some time with the remaster, out on Tuesday, seem to be feeling pretty positive about the changes, but I’m not sure how I feel about the new bathtub Geralt.

A comparison shot comes from the world’s foremost experts on bathtub Geralt, PCGamer, including a slider that lets you scrub back and forth between the original version and the new one.

Here is your world-first comparison between original and remastered Tub Geralt in The Witcher 3
Geralt now 600% more damp.
PC GamerJoshua Wolens

GameSpot also has a more detailed breakdown, as part of video comparison from the game:

I’m not here to tell you how to feel. Maybe you like a very wet Geralt (he is in a tub, after all!). I don’t personally want my bathtub Geralt to be so shiny yet so dimly-lit, and I don’t know that I need all that definition in his scars. But hey, that’s me: a man with some strong feelings about characters bathing in games, and who is deeply–maybe overly–attached to Geralt as I remember him from my time with The Witcher 3.

And at the risk of being unpopular, I don’t know that The Witcher 3really needsa remaster at all–the original game is only from 2015, which as I type that out I realize was 10 years ago, but also it was only 10 years ago. To me, the game looks fine and plays fine. I’m sure fancy new lighting and hair and grass make a good-looking game look even better, but it’s certainly not a game that was begging for a new look.

The Witcher 3upgrade is free if you already own the game, and in addition to visual tweaks updates the combat, skill trees, and more. That’s a pretty good deal–I’m hugely relieved CDPR aren’t selling us the game all over again–and honestly probably enough new stuff that I’ll bite the bullet on Windows 11 over it, especially with new DLC coming in 2027. Time passes and all things change, I guess, including bathtub Geralt.

I Don’t Know If We Need All These Remakes, Guys
Every game you’ve ever loved is a product of its time, and a reflection of the limitations placed on its creators.
AftermathLuke Plunkett