Comprehensive ‘The Witcher 3’ Game of the Year Edition set for August 30 launch

By Danny Cowan August 11, 2016

Developer CD Projekt Red confirmed Thursday that a bundled Game of the Year Edition of its open-world fantasy epic The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is coming to consoles and PCs worldwide by the end of this month.

The comprehensive package will launch stateside as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition, and Amazon is now taking pre-orders for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.

Released in May of last year, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt won multiple awards for its expansive open world and varied quests. Many outlets branded The Witcher 3 as their pick for 2015’s Game of the Year, leading CD Projekt Red to craft a feature-packed Complete Edition for players who haven’t yet experienced Geralt of Rivia’s latest monster-hunting crusade.

In addition to bundling the full version of The Witcher 3 with all patches and updates released in the months after its initial launch, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition includes all add-on content previously available as part of its digital Expansion Pass. Players who purchase the upcoming Complete Edition will get access to The Witcher 3‘s “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine” expansions free of charge, with each boasting a unique set of additional storyline quests.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition also includes 16 digital content packs that were previously issued as free downloadable content on a weekly basis. The Witcher 3‘s free add-ons range from minor aesthetic tweaks like alternate character outfits to significant gameplay-expanding additions including new quests, weapons, and bounties.

The Witcher 3‘s forthcoming Complete Edition also offers up a New Game Plus mode, allowing veteran players to experience the game’s story from the beginning while retaining their previously earned character stats.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition launches for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC platforms on August 30.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

I can’t wait to go back to Street Fighter 6’s excellent Battle Hub

street fighter 6 battle hub preview arcade cabinet

Fighting games live or die on their online communities. Of course, basic functions like rollback netcode and cross-play are essential to a healthy fighting game, but Street Fighter 6 goes further by creating an online hub that celebrates the series and gives players somewhere to hang out between matches. Call it a metaverse if you must, but in reality, the Battle Hub is one-third of the Street Fighter 6 package and will likely be home to the communities and tournaments that ensure people will play the game for years to come.
It was also the focus of the Closed Beta for Street Fighter 6 this past weekend, which gave me a second chance to go hands-on with the game after falling in love with it at Summer Game Fest Play Days. The core 1-v-1 fights are still a joy to play and the beta’s new characters -- Juri, Kimberly, Guile, and Ken -- all come with the exciting combos and flashy animations. But really, I came away impressed with the groundwork Capcom is laying for Battle Hub and its implications for World Tour mode.
What’s the hubbub about?
The Battle Hub is one of three options players can choose right from the main menu of Street Fighter 6, and when selected, it tasks players with creating a character avatar that will represent them. I didn’t spend too much time with these options, but they seemed quite in-depth for those who enjoy a detailed character creator. After creating a blue-haired and face-tattooed fighter, I was thrust into the Battle Hub’s futuristic arcade.

Multiplayer hubs as a replacement for simple menus aren't a new concept for fighting games (Bandai Namco games like Dragon Ball FighterZ have done this for a while). Still, for Capcom’s first attempt at one, the Battle Hub is full of personality and things to do. Its stark blue colors, a plethora of screens, and many gameplay cabinets make it feel like the high-tech arcade Capcom wants it to be.
As soon as I entered, I could walk around, emote, and perform classic Street Fighter moves the Hadoken with button presses. I was also near two kiosks. At one, I could register and view tournaments and Street Fighter 6 events, although none were available for me during this Closed Beta. The other one was the Hub Goods Shop, where I could buy clothes and other gear to customize my character further with the currency I accrued while playing.
The other kiosks on the main level weren’t available in this Closed Beta outside a screen that showed which player in our server was performing the best. I then headed toward the arcade cabinets, most of which form a circle around the center of the Battle Hub. One person has to sit on each side to initiate a Street Fighter 6 match. While it’s a bit annoying to sit and wait for someone to play with you, I could always find an opponent if I looked around at every cabinet. Hopefully, the final game will have an option to get into fights slightly faster for those who want to simply jump into it.

Gaming

A new Witcher trilogy and Cyberpunk game are in development at CD Projekt Red

Geralt drawing his sword in The Witcher 3 promo art.

CD Projekt Red announced several long-term projects, which include a new Witcher trilogy, a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, and a new IP.

The Warsaw-based developer gave a presentation on Tuesday giving an update on how the company has grown since Q1 2022, the performance for the original Witcher trilogy and Cyberpunk 2077 (they sold over 65 million and 20 million copies, respectively), and what its strategy will be to continue its growth going forward. During that presentation, it unveiled the three new Witcher games under the working titles Project Sirius, Project Polaris, and Project Canis Majoris, and a Cyberpunk game with the working title Project Orion.

Gaming

The best horror games of all time

The deranged doctor gets ready to mutilate someone in Outlast

The best horror games all have something in common: The ability to deliver a feeling of unease that someone or something is on your tail -- with sinister plans to take you out. Games have only become more frightening as technology has evolved, and with so many excellent horror games, it's time to put a spotlight on the scariest games we've ever played.

Luckily, there's no shortage of titles designed to send you into a heart-racing and adrenaline-pumping frenzy, and we've highlighted a few of our favorites below. Some of them lean into action, while others are more focused on survival, with a few options in between. The one thing they all share is that they're designed to make you feel like anything could be lurking around the next corner.