The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one game that refuses to age. As we inch closer to its 10th anniversary in May, Geralt’s adventures continue to capture the hearts of players. This is thanks, in part, to the modding community that has kept the game feeling fresh and alive.
But here’s the thing: for years, modders were working with a tool that was, let’s just say, a little less witcher and a lot more limited. Then, developers delivered a present: REDKit, an official modding tool that would change the game’s future in ways even CD Projekt Red didn’t fully anticipate.
The Witcher 3‘s modding history is a long tale
When The Witcher 3 first launched in 2015, it received a rave review. Naturally, the modding community was eager to leave its mark on the title. However, the tools available at the time were rather basic. Players had access to the MODKit, which allowed them to tweak and edit existing assets.
But that was about it, modders didn’t have the freedom to add entirely new content. The MODKit was, at best, a starting point, not a gateway to creating entirely new worlds. The bad news continued as CDPR said that it wasn’t planning to release a more robust modding tool set.
Of course, no one expected the game to remain so wildly popular. As the years went on, the game’s fanbase didn’t just stay strong; it flourished. In a surprising turn of events, developers released the REDKit in May 2024.
This is THE modding tool. It isn’t just about editing existing assets, it is about customizing the game from the ground up. Players can now add new content, quests, animations, characters and even overhaul terrain.
But creating it wasn’t easy. As CDPR revealed in interviews in GDC (via PC Gamer), the process took nearly 10 months and required a complete overhaul and removal of unwanted data from the game’s original engine.
You never know what you can find, and you really have to be careful because you might miss something you don’t want the public to see.
The process was a labor of love, but it was also a complicated challenge. Nevertheless, the end result is a tool that opened the floodgates for creativity.
A parting gift from CDPR
So, why now? Why did CDPR suddenly decide to release REDKit after years of no real modding support? In the conference, the team explained that it was a passing of the torch.
We were starting to shift our internal focus to other projects slowly […] we wanted to extend its life by empowering the modding community […] So it made perfect sense for us to create an official modding tool.
By releasing REDKit, CDPR gave modders the tools they needed to continue expanding the world of The Witcher 3 long after the developers had moved on. This gave the community the freedom to truly shape the game as they saw fit, and fans couldn’t have been more thrilled.
The community didn’t disappoint, as they have released various mods over the years. Apart from the various quality of life mods, there is even a content mod, Tales of The Witcher (Via Gerwant), which adds 2 more chapters to the game.
In hindsight, the release of the modding tool was the perfect move for CDPR. It allowed the game to stay alive, relevant, and fresh long after its official updates had concluded.
In the end, as The Witcher 3 prepares itself to end its second decade, it’s clear that with the support of the community and the power of REDKit, the game’s legacy will continue to grow for years to come.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
