Switch 2 players Can Claim a Free Copy of The Witcher 3 Thanks to a Loophole

Published Sep 30, 2026, 9:27 AM EDT Ashely currently works as a news writer for Polygon. After getting her Translation degree, she was hired as a guide and news writer for GameRant and TheGamer. She enjoyed working as an author for these sites for six years, and in 2026, she started at Polygon, where she is able to continue to do what she loves: writing about video games. A small glitch lets Switch owners redeem a copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered even without owning the original Image: CD Projekt Red Sign in to your Polygon.com account The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered launched Sept. 29 and immediately became the best-reviewed new release of the year. Fans of the franchise have been particularly excited about this remaster, as it's available for free to everyone who owns a digital copy of The Witcher 3, regardless of edition. As it turns out, you don't even need a digital copy of the game on the Switch 2. The Witcher 3 has received a full-fledged remaster that greatly enhances players' experience of the beloved 2015 action RPG. With the upgrade, players can dive back into the game with an extensive list of upgrades: enhanced visuals and performance, a refined skill system and combat mechanics, and more. Whether returning or giving the franchise a go for the first time, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is worth any gamer's time. On most platforms, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is granted to original game owners as an upgrade. However, on Switch 2, it must be downloaded as a separate game, essentially adding to their digital library a copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered Switch 2 Edition. Free upgrade allows players to duplicate The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered on Switch 2 Image: CD Projekt Red As reported by Kotaku, owners of a physical edition of The Witcher 3 for the original Switch are given a digital license for the game's remastered version after inserting it into a Switch 2. Even better, they don't need to keep the cartridge in the console to play it, as it essentially creates an additional copy of The Witcher 3 and adds it to their digital library. After discovering this glitch, players have been putting the same Witcher 3 cartridge into different Switch 2 consoles to receive free copies of the remaster. This exploit means that every owner of a Switch 2 can get a copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered even if they don't own a copy, physical or digital, or the original game, simply by borrowing it from a library or a friend. The Witcher 3 has sold millions of copies around the world in the past decade. Hardcore fans have even bought it on different platforms. As the remastered version is conveived as a free upgrade, it's unlikely that CD Projekt Red and Nintendo will patch this little exploit, so if you own a physical copy of The Witcher 3 for the Switch, it may be time to dig it up.