Witcher3 Complete Edition will not start on XBOX Series X

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Good Morning Everyone,

First post on this forum & If I'm not in the right place Mods please move my thread to the appropriate forum.

Since the next gen patch came out I decided I wanted to replay the Witcher 3 Wild Hunt. At the time I only owned the Game of the Year Edition on disc. On 2/28 I installed the GOTY Edition on my Series X Console. During the installation process it downloaded the latest patch version 4.0.1. Unfortunately, every time I go to start a new game or load an existing save, the game will freeze & takes me to the XBOX home screen. Since I read online old saves from GTOY are not compatible with other versions of the game I stopped trying to load old saves. But I can’t even start a new game without the issue above. During the opening cut scene, the loading icon will stop & a few seconds later it takes me to the XBOX home screen.

On 3/1 I uninstalled the GOTY Edition & bought a digital copy of the Complete Edition directly from XBOX in the MS Store. But unfortunately, I still can’t get this version to start either. Same issue as above keeps happening. During the opening cut scene, the loading icon will stop & a few seconds later it takes me to the XBOX home screen.

Following the suggestions of XBOX Support, I have done the following. Have uninstalled & reinstalled this game too many times to count. Have also cleared my persistent storage multiple times. Have removed & reinstalled my XBOX account. Have also tried playing this game on a new profile I added yesterday. Have reset my whole console & deleted everything & the issue still persists. The game always freezes during the opening cut scene. The loading icon will stops & seconds later I’m on my home screen. Also yesterday I decided to try to run this game on my ancient 1st generation XBOX One console & it actually started. But I can’t get it to work at all on my fairly new Series X console.

Thanks,
Bill
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Just got off the phone with XBOX Support whom told me to submit a report using the Report a Problem app. They think the problem is with the game not my console. Since this game works on my old XBOX I not sure if they're right or wrong.
 
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Strange :(
My "old" digital version bought at release and updated work fine on my Series X. So both versions crashes ? (the "old" physical and newly bought digital version).
Did you try to launch the game "offline" ? (just disconnect your console from the net)
In any case, if it's not already done, I highly recommand to contact the support directly ("contact us" button).
 
Thanks for the reply. I submitted a Technical Support report yesterday but today I decided to also post it on the forum. I have tried to play it offline but keep getting a message saying I need to be online. Originally I installed a disc version of the GOTY Edition & then yesterday figured I'd buy the digital version of the Complete Edition to see if it made any difference. But it doesn't start either.
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Just tried it again offline & this time I did not get a message saying I must be online. But the game crashed in the same spot. Right after the opening cut scene when Geralt closes his eyes to take a nap.
 
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Thanks for the reply. I submitted a Technical Support report yesterday but today I decided to also post it on the forum. I have tried to play it offline but keep getting a message saying I need to be online.
Weird :(
Did you declare your Series X as the "home console"?
Only one "home console" is allowed per account, which allow you to play your games offline (for me, since I switched my home console from my XB1x to my Series X, I can play all my installed games offline on my Series X, but on my XB1x, it's no longer possible).
I guess you already tried, but did you deleted all registered datas ?
- Start button on the game > Manage game & expansions > Regitered datas > Deleted all
If you have access to the game menu :
- Can you try to change the mode (performance or quality mode) to see if it's the same.
- Can you link you GOG account ?
(Rewards > claim >...)
 
@LeKill3rFou I think originally when I set up my series X I never changed this console to home. But during one of my many resets of my series X it's now my home console.
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XBOX Support I have tried all of the above with the exception of deleting all registered data. I thought I was deleting all data because I was clicking on the delete all data icon. But when I scroll down to my game tag & clicked it gave me an option to delete just from the console & from the console & cloud. I chose to delete from the console & cloud. I restarted the console, but it still didn't work. Also, my GOG account is linked & I'm on performance mode.

I'm trying again this morning as I type to reinstall the game & keep trying. Like I said I can't get pass the opening cut scene.
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Just reinstalled the game again for the 10th time plus & I still can't get this game to get pass the opening cut scene. This is so frustrating because Witcher 3 was probably my favorite game of all time & was really looking forward to playing it again.
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I just tried it again using a different profile same results. I can't get pass the opening cutscene.
 
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Hum... that's annoying :(
I'm out of idea... The very last thing which come in my mind would be to :
Link your GOG account on your XB1, start a new game, create save as soon as you have control of Geralt in Kaer Morhen, quit to the menu and verify that this new save is uploaded on GOG ("checked cloud" icon on the save). Then launch the game on the Series X and try to load this save (which in theory must be imported from GOG).
If it doesn't work, well... I don't know. Better to wait an answer from the support.
 
@LeKill3rFou my GOG account is linked. Although every time I reinstall the game or delete all data, I have to relink my GOG account. I can no longer try to load any old saves from the GOTY Edition since I deleted all my old saves. Every time I try to start this game is always as New Game, Fresh Start, Blood & Broken Bones, Tutorials On & Simulate Witcher 2 Save. But like I've said, I can't get pass the opening cut scene. As soon as I get to the part where you see Geralt lying down trying to fall sleep, the game will freeze & takes me back to the home screen.
 
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Yep, but on your Xbox one, it work the game doesn't crash ?
(games on Xbox work on both platform in theory, so any game that you bought on one platform can be played on other).
If so, on your Xbox one, link your GOG account, start a new playthrough, save in kaer morhen and let GOG upload the save. Then try to launch this save on your Series X (in short to get rid of this cinematic/loading screen).

And if the game crash when you try to load this save, it mean that the game will crash no matter what you do (so not related to the cinematic).
 
@LeKill3rFou I'll try that. Because when I tried it on my XBOX One I don't think I linked the account. But I'm pretty sure the auto save & manual save I made that day were there when I tried it on my Series X. But I can't say this with 100% certainty.
 
If it doesn't work, I'm clearly out of idea... Because we have pretty much the same console (if Microsoft doesn't produce several versions of Series X) and pretty much the same game :(
 
@LeKill3rFou I just tried it, but it didn't work. I tried loading the auto save & the manual save I made on the Xbox One with no success. Also, I made sure I was logged in on both to my rewards which is GOG unless I'm wrong. But here's something I notice the last time I tried this game on my Xbox One which is different that my Series X. I've attached the images below. When I first start the game on my old Xbox One The first thing that appears on my screen is Geralt fighting a Griffin. On my Series X is just Geralt getting ready to draw his sword. Both games do say Complete Edition with patch 4.0.1 installed. Maybe this is a clue as to why one works & not the other.

Also, about an hour ago I bought a game I've been meaning to play but have held off because I don't want to die of a heart attack while gaming, Elden Ring. Bought a used copy from GameStop for $44 & it's returnable. Will try to install & run this game later.

Thanks,
Bill
 

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On my Series X is just Geralt getting ready to draw his sword. Both games do say Complete Edition with patch 4.0.1 installed. Maybe this is a clue as to why one works & not the other.
I don't have the complete edition but the "normal" with all DLCs/expansions. So apart from the name, it's the same game. And I have the same image as you on Series X > Geralt getting ready to drawn his sword, without the "complete edition" title, obviously.
So I guess it's only the "next-gen" title image :)
(like Cyberpunk got a new one for its next gen version. male V on old gen and female V for next gen)
 
At this point I'm going to wait patiently before I ask MS for a refund since I have 13 days left before my return period expires. Hopefully a patch will get release soon. The GOTY Version worked well on my Xbox One but had some frame rate issues in certain parts while playing Blood & Wine. Have no interests in replaying this version on my old console. Also tonight will try to install Elden Ring & hope it works.

Thanks Again,
Bill
 
To me it looks like your console is faulty, sorry to say, that’s the only explanation I see and it’s consistent with the game not crashing on your Xbox One. This is also the first time I read about this.

You shouldn’t have bought the game again, it wasn’t necessary, and you also shouldn’t have deleted your old saves as older versions are perfectly compatible, that’s the other way around that is not true.

My only suggestion at this point, if that is possible for you, is to find a friend or someone with a Series X to install and test the game with your account on it. If it doesn’t crash, well…
 
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@nolankotulan I think my Series X is at fault but when I spoke to an XBOX Support person yesterday they told me they believe it's the game. Also, neither of my sons believe the issue is my console. I don't care about deleting the old saves because I was planning on replaying this game again as a New Game not New Game Plus.
 
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I see. Well, at least that, you don’t have to regret deleting your saves. Hope you’ll find the culprit, and a solution. I understand the frustration.
 
I was really looking forward to replaying this game & not have to deal with learning a new game I have never played before like Elden Ring. Although I have Skyrim AE with mods installed & working well on this console.
 
I was really looking forward to replaying this game & not have to deal with learning a new game I have never played before like Elden Ring. Although I have Skyrim AE with mods installed & working well on this console.
Just to be sure, you managed to launch the game offline on your Series X ?
(in theory, you can, knowing it's your "home Xbox")
 
Just to be sure, you managed to launch the game offline on your Series X ?
(in theory, you can, knowing it's your "home Xbox")
I tried loading the Witcher 3 Complete Edition earlier today using the save from my Xbox to my Series X like you suggested. But it failed.
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Just tried loading the save I made earlier today on the Xbox One offline & the game crashed again.
 
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