TL;DR: CD Projekt is developing The Witcher 4 concurrently across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X to avoid a repeat of Cyberpunk 2077’s uneven console launch, focusing on platform-specific fixes. The game, starring Ciri, targets a 2028 release; Witcher 3 remaster arrives in September and a new DLC in 2027.
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CD Projekt is working on The Witcher 4’s platforms at the same time to make sure the game “actually works” when it ships on 9th generation consoles.
The Witcher 4 is due out in 2028 and CD Projekt is taking its development seriously. Ciri’s AAA return is the start of a new saga of games, and the devs want to make sure these products have smooth launches light years away from the Cyberpunk controversy.
That’s why CD Projekt is simultaneously developing The Witcher 4 specifically for each console and platform; Cyberpunk prioritized PC and tried to downscale everything from there, but The Witcher 4 evens out the priority, and the studio tackles individual issues as they arise. In a recent interview with Game Developer, CD Projekt co-CEO Michal Nowakowski expresses his confidence in TW4’s current build on consoles and PC.
- Read more: The Witcher 4 is targeting a 2028 release window, will be skipping Gamescom
- Read more: CDPR tells fans not to expect a Witcher 4 expansion, as the studio plans to release 3 Witcher games in 6 years
“You come to the studio, you launch Witcher 4 right now,. You can launch it on PC. You can launch it on PS5. You can launch it on Xbox Series X, and it’s going to run.”
Nowakowski also briefly explained CD Projekt’s thought process on Cyberpunk 2077, and why exactly things went so awry on the PS4 and Xbox One version of the game.
“The way the studio was thinking was that we are reaching for the best possible visuals,” he said. “We want to push the boundaries of what is doable in terms of cinematic feeling and whatnot, and PC was just the best suited rig for that. There was this, as it turned out, false belief that toning it down to whatever was the current gen is not going to be that much of a challenge.”
Which platforms is CD Projekt simultaneously testing The Witcher 4 on to prevent a Cyberpunk-style launch?
What lessons from Cyberpunk 2077’s PS4 and Xbox One issues is CD Projekt applying to The Witcher 4 development?
CD Projekt learned that building for PC first and then downscaling caused the PS4 and Xbox One versions to suffer, so for The Witcher 4 they are developing and testing all platforms simultaneously and giving each console equal priority. They are tackling platform-specific issues as they arise rather than assuming PC builds can simply be toned down for current-gen consoles.
Question #3
What Witcher-related releases are coming before The Witcher 4’s 2028 launch as mentioned in the article?
The article says The Witcher 3 remastered is coming in September, and a new Witcher 3 DLC called Songs of the Past is coming in 2027 ahead of The Witcher 4’s 2028 launch.
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The Witcher 4 is coming sometime in 2028 and should be the first CD Projekt game that doesn’t ship on a <a href="https://comicvibe.com/persona-like-gorgeous-2023-ps5-rpg-75-off-on-playstation-store/” title=”Persona-Like Gorgeous 2023 PS5 RPG 75% Off on PlayStation Store”>PlayStation disc. The Witcher 3 remastered is coming in September, and a new Witcher 3 DLC, Songs of the Past, is also coming in 2027.
