After 7 years, The Witcher 3's next-gen quest finally opens Velen's mysterious locked door

The Witcher 3 next-gen update
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

The Witcher 3's Netflix DLC will open a door that's remained closed since the original game first released in 2015.

Veterans of CD Projekt Red's RPG might remember The Devil's Pit in Velen, where Geralt finds himself immediately after leaving White Orchard. There's a door to a mine there that's been closed ever since The Witcher 3 first launched, but now, according to Eurogamer, the new-gen version of the game will open the doors for a new quest.

What happens after the doors open is a new scavenger, treasure hunt-style quest, containing gear from Netflix's The Witcher series. Eurogamer reports that the showdown at the end of the mine is "memorable," but don't expect this to be a massive questline: the entire thing should take you right around half an hour to complete, with a few differentiating endings.

For Eurogamer, the Netflix crossover quest was reportedly set at level 15 for the player. Considering that players likely won't be above level 10 when they exit White Orchard for the first time, they might have to proceed with other activities and quests in Velen in The Witcher 3, before returning to the big mine to undertake the new crossover quest later on.

The Witcher 3's PS5 and Xbox Series X versions finally launch next week on December 14, free of charge for anyone who already owns any version of the game. The new versions will feature 60FPS gameplay, or ray tracing at 30FPS, as well as several bug fixes for broken quests, and completely overhauled visuals, among other quality-of-life improvements.

Head over to our full hands-on with the Witcher 3 next-gen update preview for what we made of several hours with the new port. 

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

Read more
The Witcher 4 screenshot showing the stunning Unreal Engine 5 fidelity
CD Projekt Red prepared for The Witcher 4's "vibe" by having devs old and new make a fresh quest together in The Witcher 3's next-gen update
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
The upcoming The Witcher anime movie features a new version of a scene cut from Henry Cavill's first season
The Witcher 3
Cyberpunk sequel's associate director reveals the "hardest quest I have ever designed and implemented" is in The Witcher 3: "I was losing my mind and my sleep"
A screenshot from The Witcher 1, showing Geralt slashing at a hairy beast
Netflix's The Witcher casts its first game-exclusive character with a Witcher 1 deep-cut who Geralt first took care of in the 2007 RPG
The Witcher 4 cinematic screenshot showing a closeup of Ciri, protagonist of the new adventure
The Witcher 4 will bring back diehard fans' most favorite minigame since CD Projekt Red loves it too: "I don't think anyone will be disappointed"
The Witcher 3
As The Witcher 3 prepares for its 10th anniversary, Geralt's voice actor explains why its popularity still endures: "There are very few games since that have approached that level of immersive storytelling"
Latest in The Witcher
The Witcher 3 lead says "not many games" were trying to match the RPG back in 2015, and that meant "there was a risk" to making it in the first place
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
The Witcher 4 devs explain how Ciri's fighting style will differ from Geralt's: "He's nimble, but he feels like a block...she's liquid"
A screenshot from The Witcher 1, showing Geralt slashing at a hairy beast
Netflix's The Witcher casts its first game-exclusive character with a Witcher 1 deep-cut who Geralt first took care of in the 2007 RPG
The Witcher 3 Geralt
The Witcher series' new book offers a blast to Geralt's teenage past dubbed Crossroads of Ravens, and it'll be out in English this fall
The Witcher 4 screenshot showing the stunning Unreal Engine 5 fidelity
The Witcher 4 director refutes claims that Ciri's appearance has changed since the reveal trailer: "We have not modified it"
The Witcher 4
The Witcher 4 devs hint at Ciri's morality and those delicious RPG story branches: "The situation that may happen after the trailer is over is such a tough choice"
Latest in News
Skyrim
It took Skyrim players nearly 15 years to discover ingenious loot hack that completely changes the game and, uh, requires you to desecrate a couple corpses
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Indy hanging onto a vine as in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release date reportedly set for April after ESRB leak
Fallout
Fallout season 2’s dazzling and dystopian New Vegas is coming to life in a new leaked video
an ai chatbot plays a modded verion of pokemon red and jumps down a ledge to talk to an npc
An AI's mission to 'teach' itself Pokemon Red is going as well as you think - after escaping Cerulean City after tens of hours, it went right on back
Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World
Brave New World box office crosses milestone for Captain America movies, even though it still might not break even
Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
The first three episodes of the best Star Wars show are now available to watch for free ahead of the Andor season 2 premiere