The Witcher 3's powerful new modding tools now in testing on Steam

If you can't wait to start rummaging in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's guts with its powerful new modding tools, you can now shoot for early access by signing up for a playtest on Steam. The new REDkit suite is based on the actual tools that CD Projekt RED themselves sued to create one of the best RPGs, and will let folks make a much wider range of mods. We'll be able to make new quests, new characters, even whole new worlds.

CD Projekt say REDkit "is based on the same set of tools that were used by our developers to create the game and should allow for nearly limitless freedom in modding it." You'll be able to create new lands, new quests, new cutscenes, new characters, new monsters, new NPCs, new journal entries, new dialogue, "and more." I am very excited to see what players might create.

The Witcher 3's had mods for years, of course. CD Projekt RED released its official Modkit in August 2015, three months after the game launched, and enterprising modders had been tinkering with unofficial tools even before then. Nexus Mods has over 6000 Witcher 3 mods by now. But the official Modkit was pretty limited, only letting modders change certain small parts in certain small ways, and unofficial expanded toolsets like Radish Modding Tools can be pretty complex. REDkit should let people make whole new giant things, and more easily.

The REDkit is due to officially launch later this year but you can sign up on Steam if you want to playtest it now. CD Projekt say they'll be granting access in batches, so you may have to wait awhile. REDkit won't be limited to Steam once it officially launches, of course.

If you want to start preparing, or simply see more of what's possible, check out the work-in-progress REDkit documentation.