The Witcher 3 gets updated, Far Cry 6 gets an expansion, and the Game Awards recognize Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok.

Wild Hunt next-gen update makes the Witcher 3 even better

One of the best role-playing adventure games has been rereleased just in time for the holiday buying season.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was originally released in 2015, but was just issued in a next-gen update for PS5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.

Anyone who owns the game already can get the update for free, but the Complete Edition provides more than just a visual bump.It also includes game and design updates and is significant enough of a refresh that if you’ve played it before it’s worth a replay, and if you haven’t, now is your chance.

A note that there are reports of PC gamers having difficulty when trying to optimize the settings on their gaming rigs, with reports of performance issues that seem to be related to the visual upgrades in the game.

I’ve been playing on a PS5 using performance settings and have had no issues.

Far Cry 6 expansion brings a sci-fi spin to the game

An update to Ubisoft’s latest Far Cry game puts protagonist Dani Rojas into the strangest of situations when an alien spacecraft crashes in the fictional Caribbean island.

In the expansion, you’ll be navigating rifts, which are alien-infused simulations that gave the Ubisoft developers license to completely tear apart the Far Cry experience to introduce platforming, puzzle solving, and combat missions. You’ll also be able to mod weapons with new energy powers.

Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok are big winners at Game Awards

God of War Ragnarok was a big winner at the Game Awards, which broadcast last week. The Playstation exclusive – you can play it on PS4 and PS5 – was recognized for six awards including best narrative, score, action/adventure game, and won Christopher Judge, who plays Kratos, best actor.

Elden Ring, the vast action-adventure epic from From Software and published by Bandai Namco, won game of the year, best game direction, best art direction, and best role playing game.

Nintendo took best family for Kirby and the Forgotten Land and best multiplayer for Splatoon 3, and shared best simulation/strategy game with Ubisoft for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.

The Game Awards are as much about what’s coming up as they are about what’s already been released.

Among the titles that were announced, revealed, or otherwise promoted during the broadcast were:

• Hades II, the follow up to the best roguelike game in years
  

• Judas, a new game from Ken Levine, the creator of Bioshock
  

• Death Stranding 2, from the strange imagination of Hideo Kojima
  

• Idris Elba taking a role in the expansion of Cyberpunk 2077
  

• Burning Shores, the expansion to Horizon Forbidden West, which has Aloy visiting the site of ancient Los Angeles
  

• A first look at Dune: Awakening
  

• A first look at Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
  

• Diablo IV’s release date of June 6, 2023
  

• Final Fantasy 16’s release date of June 22, 2023