CD Projekt Red adds Bard’s Ballad accessibility preset to the Witcher 3 Remastered

CD Projekt Red added the Bard’s Ballad accessibility preset to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered on September 29, 2026, at 3:00 AM PT, releasing the remaster as a free upgrade for existing owners on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. The preset includes switches that turn off item weight and durability and remove herb icons from the mini-map. The remaster ships with the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions, and CD Projekt Red announced it at Gamescom. The studio also placed a new Accessibility section in the Settings menu next to the preset.

The studio’s director of player experience, Karolina Niewęgłowska, laid out the reasoning for Bard’s Ballad in a developer commentary posted on CD Projekt Red’s official forum. PCGamesN says she also discussed it during CD Projekt Red’s Gamescom livestream. “Bard’s Ballad is for those having difficulty concentrating, including those with ADHD, or those experiencing cognitive fatigue, for example due to conditions like depression.” She added that the preset suits people who feel tired or overwhelmed in a busy world, including parents, and anyone who wants a play style that fits their own needs.

A colleague called it a tired parent mode, and Niewęgłowska agreed. She told a story about a player with just one hour after a busy day, facing a broken weapon and a full inventory, with little energy left to manage anything. That player, she said, is exactly who the preset is for. She stressed that players do not have to use any of the options and can experience The Witcher 3 as originally intended.

The suite also includes infinite breath underwater, durability that never runs out for items and boats, faster boats, and auto-looting. A vitality regeneration boost activates below a vitality percentage the player chooses, and players can adjust the regeneration intensity. The minimap can hide herbs and corpses because the markers can distract players or create a fear of missing out. Niewęgłowska said the dots can feel like they are demanding attention or leave players uncertain about whether they must collect everything.

Players can also hide herbs, boats, and corpses from the map screen using the Settings menu under Video and Interface. Players can switch the preset on when starting a new game on the Just the Story difficulty, or later through the Accessibility section, and players can turn each option on or off. She stressed that none of the options is mandatory. “No, you don’t have to, especially if your main motivation is to experience the story and the world.”

The goal is to lower cognitive load—the mental effort of keeping track of information—for players coping with mental fatigue or trouble concentrating, while simplifying mechanics to streamline play. She said notifications, ads, feeds, and reminders are part of a constant digital barrage, so tools for managing cognitive load are more useful than ever.

She described it as an answer to difficulty concentrating, cognitive fatigue tied to depression, tiredness, and feeling overwhelmed, including for parents. Some people view accessibility options as cheats under a modern name, but Niewęgłowska said that is not the intention. Paired with the easier difficulty setting, the options can turn Geralt’s adventure into a laid-back, story-focused experience.

The Witcher 3 is more than ten years old, and CD Projekt Red continues to support it with the 2026 remaster, Songs of the Past launching in 2027, and The Witcher 4 expected in 2028. PCGamesN dates Songs of the Past to 2027, while RPGFan expects The Witcher 4 in 2028. Yigsoft handled the remaster under CD Projekt Red’s guidance, and Halk Hogan, who made the HD Remastered Project, cooperated with CD Projekt Red to bring that work into the game.