The Witcher 3 Remastered launched today across PC and consoles, and while critics and early players are largely praising CD Projekt Red’s overhaul of the dark fantasy RPG, a growing chorus has flagged a single complaint: the game is simply too bright. For those who prefer the grittier, shadow-drenched look of the original 2015 release, there is now a straightforward remedy. Toggle the bloom setting off in the graphics menu, and the washed-out glow that has sparked debate across social media largely disappears.
The remaster, which The Witcher 3 Remastered released today, introduces a host of visual upgrades, including ray-traced lighting, enhanced textures, and a general brightening of the world of The Continent. But not every fan of the grim, atmospheric masterpiece welcomes the change. Since the review embargo lifted and early players began sharing side-by-side screenshot comparisons, a lively debate has erupted over whether is too bright. Some players favor the bolder, starker shadows of the earlier version, while others appreciate the more realistic and sophisticated lighting in the remaster. The compromise, for PC owners at least, is a single toggle.
A Simple Toggle, but Only on PC
For PC players, the fix is immediate and painless. Turning bloom off in the settings menu removes much of the hazy, overexposed look that has drawn criticism, restoring a moodier palette that feels more faithful to the game’s original tone. Several players who discovered the option have praised the dramatic difference. The reaction on the The reaction on the Witcher subreddit has been immediate, with one player writing, “Wow that actually was a whiplash change thanks,” while another urged the tip to rise to prominence: “This needs to go to the top of the sub.” A third added simply, “Oh my god thanks. This looks so much better.”
There is, however, a catch. The bloom toggle is not available on PS5 or other console versions. Console owners can still fiddle with brightness, contrast, and gamma sliders, but there is no single, simple fix to instantly restore the image quality that PC players can access. The distinction has left some console players feeling shortchanged in a game that otherwise offers a fully featured graphics suite.
CD Projekt Red confirmed it has no updates yet on what further tweaks the team might be making to the visuals, particularly the lighting.
CD Projekt Red
I reached out to CD Projekt Red to determine whether the brightness is considered a bug or whether the visuals, and particularly the lighting, are working as intended in the remaster. The studio responded that there are no updates yet on what further tweaks the team might be making in the near future.
More Than Just Bloom
For PC players looking to further tailor the image, the bloom adjustment is only the beginning. The same graphics menu offers controls for blur, chromatic aberration, and vignetting, and turning those effects off as well can produce an even cleaner, more classic Witcher look. My guess is that there will be continued tweaking in the days and weeks ahead, particularly if the brightness debate shows no sign of cooling. For now, though, PC owners have one reliable trick to make The Witcher 3 Remastered feel more classically Witcher-y.
The release has also been a commercial triumph. The Witcher 3 Remastered just broke a Steam record as players rushed back to play one of the best RPGs ever made, a testament to the enduring appeal of CD Projekt Red’s magnum opus. The crossover interest has even spilled into other titles, with the game’s Geralt skin for Diablo 4 drawing attention—along with a frustrating requirement—on Battle.net.
Looking Ahead
While CD Projekt Red has not committed to a timeline for any visual patches, the studio’s comments suggest that adjustments remain possible. The team has described the project as more than a standard remaster, with one developer noting that “when we think about this remaster, it’s almost like a 2.0 overhaul.” That framing implies the studio views the game as a living product, open to refinement long after launch.
Until then, the burden falls on players to dial in their own ideal look. PC owners can already achieve a moodier, more faithful experience with a single setting change, while console players may need to wait—hoping that CD Projekt Red’s continued attention to the game’s visuals eventually brings the same flexibility to their platforms. For now, the world of The Continent awaits, brighter than ever, but far from beyond repair.
1 comment