The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the latest game to receive 4K support for the Xbox One X. Since the release of the upgraded version of the console in November, various games have been enhanced for it.
This new update allows players to choose new graphics settings for the critically-acclaimed RPG to run at 60 fps, albeit with a catch.
New Display Settings
Initially released in 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was praised for its open environment. with high detailed landscapes. After installing the new update, a new "advanced" option will appear in the display settings menu. Players can choose between two options in the menu, "4K mode" and "Performance Mode." In case players were having a hard time finding the changes, developer CD Projekt Red details the update with a visual guide for the new menu options in their press release.
4K mode is the normal version of the game, this lets the game run at a stable 30 fps in 4K. The new update adds HDR support for enhanced shadows, ambient occlusion, texture filtering, and higher resolution textures, improving on the visual aspects of the game.
Performance mode uses dynamic resolution scaling, which makes the game slide between 1080p and 4K while to targeting 60 fps. It is able to achieve this by turning down its visual effects to allow for a seamless transition between resolutions. This feature is also included in the Fallout 4 Xbox One X release.
Both new modes also support HDR.
PlayStation 4 Pro Update Coming Soon
Developer CD Projekt Red released a similar patch for the PlayStation 4 Pro earlier this year. They say that they're currently working on a new patch for the PlayStation 4 Pro where they will add HDR support.
Prospects for updated 4K versions of the game seemed grim after CD Projekt Red said it would rather focus on upcoming games rather than releasing a PlayStation 4 Pro update for the game. This all changed when at E3 this year the developer announced it would make 4K versions for the upgraded consoles.
Back when the Xbox One X first launched, if users were able to run the disc of the game without installing any of the patches, the game could run at 60 fps for the most part. It would start to drop frames if the player entered a busy city but players were able to enjoy the vast environments without limiting frames.
The graphics update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now.
