Reviewers and bloggers who got early access to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered shared screenshots from photo mode. The images showed improved textures for ground-based birds, while the low-polygon birds in the sky remained unchanged.
The remastered version introduces significant visual enhancements and high-resolution textures, leading some players to worry that the blocky birds would disappear. Originally just tiny silhouettes in the distant sky, they had become a familiar visual detail for players.
This detail dates back to the original release in 2015. To optimize performance, CD Projekt RED used low-polygon simplified models for birds flying at high altitudes; at the intended viewing distance, players would typically only see dark silhouettes against the clouds.
Later, players used NVIDIA Ansel and the game's built-in photo mode to zoom in on the birds. Close-up shots revealed that pigeons and swallows were made of flat triangles with blurry textures, and these screenshots gradually became a popular meme among the community.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on September 29. Owners of the original game will receive the update for free; the simplified bird models can still be found soaring over Novigrad and Velen.