The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Update Finally Lets You Pet Roach

If the most devastating part of The Witcher 3 for you was not being able to tell Roach what a good boy he is, you’ll be delighted to know CD Projekt Red has fixed this glaring omission. As part of the game’s next-gen upgrade, players can now pet Geralt’s iconic horse Roach. This is easily the patch’s most significant feature.

In a video posted by Twitter user and Witcher creator Neon Knight, Geralt walks up to his horse and pats him gently along his mane. You can do this in your game simply by approaching Roach and then holding down the jump button.

The Witcher 3 is a massive game that sings because of its attention to the small parts of its world. While the game hardly needed you to be able to pet Roach, it’s a lovely and expressive touch. It gives yet another shade of tenderness to Geralt’s superficially harsh personality. He may have had many different horses over the years, but he has always named them Roach, a continuity that reflects a simple, unflinching care. Players too have made a glitching Roach into a meme or penned odes to the game’s most faithful companion. It’s nice to be able to express that affection in a small way in-game.

The Witcher 3 next-gen update also adds a quest based on the Netflix show, incorporates various mods, cross-saves, and a photo mode. It’s functionally the same game, but with some new visual flourishes and quality-of-life improvements.