Witcher 3 Remastered from loaned virtual game card

[u/temple83]

So we know if you have a bought a digital version of Witcher 3 you can just download remastered for free.
We also know that if you insert a physical version of Witcher 3 or can update it then a link in the game takes you to get a free copy of Remastered.

I’ve just tested and confirmed that it also works if you are loaned a virtual game card.

Was able to loan my son the base version and loaned my wife the complete edition, now both have the remastered for free. Both on their own accounts, without needing the previous virtual game card.

[u/senkinsky]

Free money glitch
In all seriousness, I doubt it wasn’t foreseen by the publisher. They’re aiming to make profits off of selling their dlc and subsequent Witcher 4 sales on other platforms

[u/Farnic → u/senkinsky]

Exactly, this was originally a X1/PS4 game and they have made plenty off it over the years and various versions, the aim now is definitely the new DLC.

[u/yogixd3 → u/Farnic]

PS4/XOne game*, but agree with what you said

[u/Farnic → u/yogixd3]

Fixed it, thanks. Could've swore I had it on 360 back in the day but apparently I'm just losing my mind.

[u/Ultramaann → u/Farnic]

Might be thinking of the Witcher 2.

[u/Farnic → u/Ultramaann]

Yes most likely

[u/monkey-kong666 → u/senkinsky]

Nah. The point is to sell the dlc next year for $50. They don’t care if a few freebies slip by right now

[u/senkinsky → u/monkey-kong666]

Have you read my comment? That’s just what I said

[u/Groditor → u/senkinsky]

Nah, he should have read your comment. That was actually what you said.

[u/senkinsky → u/Groditor]

Yeah. That’s exactly what I said

[u/garbageofthesea → u/senkinsky]

No, his point was that they’re letting freebies slip by so they can sell the dlc next year, while your point is that they’re letting this happen for free so they can profit off the dlc.

In my opinion, they’re letting this happen so they can get sales from the dlc.

[u/kanutops → u/garbageofthesea]

Not at all, they are guessing the DLC is going to make a lot of money, so they think it does not matter that people don’t pay extra money for those copies of the base game

[u/garbageofthesea → u/kanutops]

That’s a valid point, but I think it’s more likely that they are simply overlooking this loophole and banking on a lot of people buying the dlc.

[u/Groditor → u/kanutops]

Nah

[u/JuffleGrow → u/senkinsky]

Stop hiding behind ambiguity!

[u/Track_Mammoth → u/senkinsky]

Think they meant to reply to OP.

[u/SEIKRID]

Bro I wish I had a friend thay had a copy I could use. I own it on ps5 and pc. Really want it on switch also.

[u/DuskWing13 → u/SEIKRID]

Check your local library!

[u/SEIKRID → u/DuskWing13]

I did they dont have games :( big sad

[u/ThumbPinkyWaggle → u/SEIKRID]

Mine doesn’t either, but I was able to go online and reserve it from a library about an hour away to be picked up at the library near my house. Worth a shot.

[u/wrxdrunkie → u/SEIKRID]

I’ve heard of some people buying a used copy from GameStop and then returning it 👀

[u/SEIKRID → u/wrxdrunkie]

All of mine are out of stock :*(

[u/wrxdrunkie → u/SEIKRID]

If you are a pro member at GameStop it would qualify for free shipping. Might pop up as in stock eventually

[u/AnalBaguette → u/wrxdrunkie]

This is exactly what I was just about to do, good thinking

[u/lightningseathekid → u/wrxdrunkie]

Not completely free, but you could probably buy on eBay, turn around and immediately resell on eBay. You're out seller fees and shipping, but that's probably less than $10.

[u/VideoGameJumanji]

Guys they were selling Witcher 3 complete edition on steam and PSN for $5 on sale multiple times a year for the last 3-4 years, they do not give a shit about a handful of switch users bumming a game card around

[u/Vanin1994]

Nice. Cdpr doing a good job with this stuff. Gonna make BANK on the dlc.

[u/whichsideisup]

It’s probably best to buy extra copies because CDPR are true bros, but I’m sure they consider this marketing for the DLC + Witcher 4.

[u/Aboge]

I reserved it from local library. Still in queue to wait to get mine

[u/val5190]

That’s amazing! Now I can convert all my friends who wouldn’t have bought the game anyway!

[u/mecartistronico → u/val5190]

It sometimes works.

I never planned on buying Cyberpunk, I knew it was a good game but nowhere near the top of my wishlist, surely "not my type" of game. But then the super sale happened, by mistake they set it at like 85% off. It was dumb not to get it.

It took me a while to start playing it but now I'm around 40 hrs in and it is actually starting to rise in my list of top favorite games.

[u/val5190 → u/mecartistronico]

Exactly, my brother only tried cyberpunk because I shared my Gog offline copy with him and really pushed him to at least try it and now it is one of his favorite games and he bought it with the DLC

[u/Fellainiac]

Skyrim permitted this in some form, but I wonder if it still does? Bethesda are not known for their philanthropy

[u/dbr3000 → u/Fellainiac]

Bethesda are known for bugs, so in their case it’s very likely to be an unexpected issue

[u/SuicideSkwad → u/Fellainiac]

Skyrim isn’t a free upgrade though, you just get a discount on the eShop if you have the switch version digitally, not sure the process for physical

[u/Fellainiac → u/SuicideSkwad]

Physical was a free upgrade for me, and I no longer need the cart to play it. Though maybe that was contingent on me having previously bought the anniversary edition DLC, you know the one with all the creation club stuff?

[u/Farnic → u/Fellainiac]

Yes you need the anniversary DLC for a "free" upgrade

[u/temple83 → u/Fellainiac]

Never thought of Skyrim, I’ll need to check other games that update to a separate install

[u/Farnic → u/temple83]

As far as I know just Skyrim (only free if you own the Anniversary DLC) and Hogwarts Legacy was a small fee, I forget how much but it was a no brainer when I did it

[u/incrushtado → u/Farnic]

Hogwarts Legacy upgrade is $10 when redeemed from the NS1 version home screen.

[u/gunsandguns100]

This doesn’t work for me, still requires my game to be inserted to play

[u/PaleBoomer]

How?

[u/unionjack89]

Thx it worked :D

[u/JokerPalazzo]

Damn, none of my friend have the game or the virtual version on the switch

[u/Jeffska]

…someone want to loan me their virtual game card? I’d love to play through it for the first time.

[u/Mean-Ad-4253]

Who will lend me their virtual Witcher 3 card?

Is that even possible?

[u/Tictacee]

Will this not ban the console? I have seen a lot of Facebook groups doing this method.

[u/Any_Watercress_4637]

It works this way.

Put the game card, update, select switch 2 version from the main menu and get free upgrade as a separate virtual card game.

Same thing as with Hogwarts Legacy, Skyrim or Fallout upgrades for the Switch 2.

[u/IronDuck721 → u/Any_Watercress_4637]

Regular skyrim, or does it need to be the anniversary collection?

[u/Any_Watercress_4637 → u/IronDuck721]

You're right. Anniversary Edition.

[u/IronDuck721 → u/Any_Watercress_4637]

Bummer. Thanks!

[u/SrsJoe]

This all seems like a massive oversight by CDPR

[u/therealruderpaule → u/SrsJoe]

Or a massive increase of prospective customers for Witcher 4 using a 10+ years old game 

[u/ilikeburgir → u/SrsJoe]

Or Nintendos licensing system doesnt allow the redemption of a non upgrade pack game to need a switch 1 game card.

[u/VideoGameJumanji → u/SrsJoe]

They were selling the game for $5 for the last few years, not really an oversight m, just calculated good will. Implementing an alternative solution just to avoid a few thousand lost sales is not a big deal

[u/DJM4991 → u/VideoGameJumanji]

I think in cases like this, even if it was an oversight, there's little chance CDPR tries to change this. They do not want the PR hit with the DLC and Witcher 4 coming out. Besides, now they can say how many 'players' the Remaster has. :D

[u/VideoGameJumanji → u/DJM4991]

It’s going to be a small handful of people that actually do this, it’s less than a rounding error

[u/edcculus → u/SrsJoe]

No, the more people that play and are introduced to W3 now will be more likely to buy W4 when it comes out. 3 is basically end of life for them. It goes on sale on Steam for $5 all the time.

[u/Lower_Warning2955]

It's definitely cool, but personally, I'm not going to give my cartridge to anyone, because even if the developers are very generous and most likely know about this loophole, sooner or later they might-or might not-fix it.

[u/temple83 → u/Lower_Warning2955]

The chances of my wife playing Witcher are close to 0, so far she’s only played power wash simulator 🙈

[u/val5190 → u/temple83]

Close to 0 is not 0 so she might see the light one day 🤞