In a significant development for the gaming community, a beloved RPG is making a return with a fresh expansion, prompting a comprehensive update to its minimum PC requirements. This marks a notable transition for a game that has thrived on older hardware for over a decade. Alongside this shift, support for legacy platforms such as the Xbox One is being phased out, reflecting the evolving landscape of gaming technology.
Updated Minimum Specifications
To grasp the extent of these changes, a comparison of the previous and new minimum specifications reveals a clear trajectory towards modernity:
<table class="tablewrapper tablewrapper–inbodyContent tablewrapper–sticky tablewrapper–divider”>
<thead class="tablehead”>
<tr class="tableheadrow”>
<th class="tableheadheading tableheadheading–left”>Component
<th class="tableheadheading tableheadheading–left”>Old Minimum Requirements
<th class="tableheadheading tableheadheading–left”>New Minimum Requirements
<tbody class="tablebody”>
<tr class="tablebodyrow”>
<td class="tablebody_data”>CPU
<td class="tablebody_data”>Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz / AMD A10-5800K APU 3.8GHz
<td class="tablebody_data”>AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel Core i5-8400
<tr class="tablebodyrow”>
<td class="tablebody_data”>GPU
<td class="tablebody_data”>NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 / AMD Radeon HD 7870
<td class="tablebody_data”>NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 / AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB
<tr class="tablebodyrow”>
<td class="tablebody_data”>VRAM
<td class="tablebody_data”>6 GB
<td class="tablebody_data”>6 GB
<tr class="tablebodyrow”>
<td class="tablebody_data”>RAM
<td class="tablebody_data”>6 GB
<td class="tablebody_data”>12 GB
<tr class="tablebodyrow”>
<td class="tablebody_data”>Storage
<td class="tablebody_data”>50 GB available space
<td class="tablebody_data”>70 GB SSD
<tr class="tablebodyrow”>
<td class="tablebody_data”>OS
<td class="tablebody_data”>64-bit Windows 7 / 64-bit Windows 8 or 8.1
<td class="tablebody_data”>64-bit Windows 11
As Microsoft gradually transitions users from Windows 10 to Windows 11, the impact is evident. According to Steam’s latest hardware survey, Windows 11 now commands a substantial 67.74% of the market share, while Windows 10 has receded to 25.63%.
In a recent statement, CD Projekt Red articulated the rationale behind these updated requirements: “With new content coming to the game, we need to update our system requirements to ensure smooth performance and compatibility going forward for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Songs of the Past… These minimum requirements reflect how hardware capabilities and software usage have evolved since we last changed the system requirements.”
For those who have yet to experience The Witcher 3, this expansion may serve as the perfect impetus to dive into the rich world of the game. With its anticipated release on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC set for 2027, there’s ample time to prepare for an immersive journey.
As the gaming community reflects on these updates, the question remains: how do players feel about the new minimum specifications? Engaging in discussions and polls could provide valuable insights into the sentiment surrounding these changes.
