The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered launched Sept. 29 and immediately became the best-reviewed new release of the year. Fans of the franchise have been particularly excited about this remaster, as it's available for free to everyone who owns a digital copy of The Witcher 3, regardless of edition. As it turns out, you don't even need a digital copy of the game on the Switch 2.
The Witcher 3 has received a full-fledged remaster that greatly enhances players' experience of the beloved 2015 action RPG. With the upgrade, players can dive back into the game with an extensive list of upgrades: enhanced visuals and performance, a refined skill system and combat mechanics, and more. Whether returning or giving the franchise a go for the first time, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is worth any gamer's time.
On most platforms, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is granted to original game owners as an upgrade. However, on Switch 2, it must be downloaded as a separate game, essentially adding to their digital library a copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered Switch 2 Edition.
Free upgrade allows players to duplicate The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered on Switch 2
As reported by Kotaku, owners of a physical edition of The Witcher 3 for the original Switch are given a digital license for the game's remastered version after inserting it into a Switch 2. Even better, they don't need to keep the cartridge in the console to play it, as it essentially creates an additional copy of The Witcher 3 and adds it to their digital library. After discovering this glitch, players have been putting the same Witcher 3 cartridge into different Switch 2 consoles to receive free copies of the remaster.
This exploit means that every owner of a Switch 2 can get a copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered even if they don't own a copy, physical or digital, or the original game, simply by borrowing it from a library or a friend.
The Witcher 3 has sold millions of copies around the world in the past decade. Hardcore fans have even bought it on different platforms. As the remastered version is conveived as a free upgrade, it's unlikely that CD Projekt Red and Nintendo will patch this little exploit, so if you own a physical copy of The Witcher 3 for the Switch, it may be time to dig it up.