Witcher 3 Modders Reintroduce Cut Menu Feature for Viewing Story Recaps Ahead of Pre-Songs of the Past DLC Refreshers

Witcher 3 Modders Reintroduce Cut Menu Feature for Viewing Story Recaps Ahead of Pre-Songs of the Past DLC Refreshers

### Restoration of Cut Content in The Witcher 3: Recap Menu Revived by Modders

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is renowned for its compelling narrative and rich world, but even the most celebrated games can leave some content on the cutting room floor. One such piece of content was a planned recap menu featuring Dandelion that would allow players to revisit significant story events. Initially developed by CD Projekt Red, this feature never made it into the final game but has recently been brought back to life by modders.

#### The Reintroduction of the Recap Menu

Loading a save or fast traveling in The Witcher 3 triggers a series of narrated recaps by Dandelion, summarizing key plot points for players to recall important story elements. However, players didn’t have access to a menu that allowed them to view these recaps at any time. This oversight has now been addressed with the restoration of the ‘Events’ menu—also creatively dubbed the ‘Storybook’ by its restorer, a modder known as Glassfish777.

This menu, found within the glossary section of the main menu next to the bestiary, was originally an unfinished feature leftover from the game’s 2015 launch. Glassfish777 elaborated on the restoration process, explaining that they updated the visual design to fit the current game’s GUI while also adding functionalities such as skipping, subtitles, and automatic music fadeout.

#### Historical Context of the Menu

The cut recap menu was first unearthed in the game files in 2022, with another modder, Fabian (also known as Tinnaib), initially attempting to restore it. However, their efforts were thwarted by a showstopping bug which could not be resolved with the modding tools available at the time. The situation changed with the release of the UI flash sources with RedKit in 2024, which made it significantly easier to fix the bugs and polish the panel for a final release. Glassfish777 expressed gratitude towards Fabian for starting this project, acknowledging their foundational work.

#### Features of the Restored Menu

Upon accessing the new ‘Events’ menu, players will find recap clips that correspond to significant moments in the game, such as Ciri’s encounters with the crones or Geralt’s arrival in Novigrad. Each recap is accompanied by descriptions and titles originally crafted by CD Projekt Red, even translated into various languages. The modder noted that almost every video has a second segment that unlocks after progressing further in the story, providing additional context.

One key feature is that the second stage of a recap is automatically attached to the first, eliminating the need for players to manually select it. Moreover, players can identify new or updated videos marked with a star icon. However, due to the way loading screens prioritize which clips are shown, some second stages may be inaccessible during regular gameplay.

For those who prefer to view the recaps exclusively from the new menu and disable playback during loading screens, Glassfish777 has also made an optional file available for download, alongside comprehensive installation instructions.

#### Ongoing Modding Efforts

The revival of the recap menu is part of a broader movement within the Witcher 3 modding community to restore cut content. Another noteworthy endeavor, led by a group known as The WAR Project, is focused on reconstructing a massive cut plague questline that CD Projekt Red abandoned before the game’s release. This demonstrates the dedication and passion within the community to enhance the game experience for players, ensuring that even previously discarded content finds its place in the world of The Witcher.

As interest in The Witcher 3 remains high, especially with the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion, these modding efforts provide players an ideal opportunity to refresh their memories of Geralt’s rich narrative without needing to start a new playthrough.