Ok, about the downgrade thing...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU9rlkCOk9E
Skip to about 0:50 (or just watch from the start). Think what you will from what he says. I would be surprised if CDPR (or that guy in particular) was lying until the very end. That, or it is a matter of perception, for
them. Maybe CDPR sees what happened to the graphics as "optimizations" instead. Maybe not. Maybe that insider article was right about members of a dev team never willing to admit that such a thing would have happened to their game (or at least to a specific version of their game) which would of course explain the reason as to why the identity of that insider was kept secret.
Here (in that video) you have someone from CDPR who says that 1) It was not downgraded, and 2) You cannot downgrade to start with if there's no build to go down from (there was no "grade" to go down from to begin with, is what he says). And points at the fact that the trailer was prepared for the purpose of showing off the game in a cinematic way (which should have already been obvious to everyone at the time), with all sorts of post-processing effects and good camera angles, etc.
So, there's two very simple possible situations going on...
1) CDPR is on defensive mode (call it PR bullshit, damage control, if not merely lying if you want to think that). They downgraded, period. No matter how hard THEY try to cut it by trying to make us believe A, B and C instead (such as "oh, it wasn't downgrading, it was optimization!"), the obvious is there and will be proven to the world of gaming at release (if not already being proven as I type this by the pirates).
2) CDPR did
not downgrade TW3 for the PC, and somehow the screenshots taken for comparison purposes were all from either the Xbox One or the PS4 version(s) which themselves would have in fact been downgraded from a "pure" and original PC version, which also for some reason we wouldn't have seen true videos nor pictures of to this point.
Do I think that the game has been downgraded? Most likely. Why wouldn't it be downgraded if the PC version is a port? It would indeed make sense, both financially and resources-wise for the company to "just" port the lowest-common denominator'd TW3 to the PC (heck, maybe they even "ported" the Xbox One version to the PS4! oh boy... perish the thought). Do I think that CDPR themselves simply view it differently and uses different wording to describe what they've done to the PC version even though on paper it IS downgrading? It sounds like it. Do I have the definitive proof that all comparisons I've seen so far are indeed true? Nope (hint: I don't always believe everything I see and hear coming from "unknown sources" of complete strangers on the Internet).
There's only one thing I know, for sure, is that I consciously pre-ordered TW3 knowing that I would be in for an epic RPG experience. And since I cannot wait to play it I guess I'll find out about the "downgrade" thing in about five days from now, while being busy enjoying it.