The Witcher 4 Could Signal The End of an Era

Anticipation for The Witcher 4 continues to build. Nearly ten years on from the acclaimed The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, developer CD Projekt Red finally showed off more of the highly-awaited next chapter in its popular dark fantasy saga in the latest trailer at last year’s Game Awards. Since then, the hype around the upcoming fourth installment has picked up even more. However, based on information and statements made by studio members, fans should also temper their excitement a bit, as it looks like The Witcher 4 will still be a while in the making.

From what CDPR has said about its plans for The Witcher 4, it seems its release date is currently targeted for 2027 or potentially even later. This comes from a previously reported investors’ call, where the developer stated that it “does not plan to release The Witcher 4 by the end of 2026.” This then suggests the above window, and combined with the fact that the current console generation is in its latter stages, it could be the case that The Witcher 4‘s launch will coincide with the next generational switch, which may then affect the platforms it will launch on as well as possible ports.

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The Witcher 4 Should Leverage Its Status to Open a Door Left Cracked by Its Predecessor

Thanks to its status as the start of a “brand-new saga,” The Witcher 4 has a chance to capitalize on a design philosophy that its predecessor started.

The Witcher 4 Could Mark the Transition From the Current Console Generation to the Next

The Witcher 4’s Current Predicted Release Window Puts it on the Cusp of a Console Generation Switch

CD Projekt Red has noted that The Witcher 4 will be “bigger, better, and greater” than its predecessor. While this ambition is promising for how it will continue to elevate the saga, the studio surely also wants to avoid a repeat of the messy situation and controversies that surrounded Cyberpunk 2077’s launch. It is thus likely to doubly ensure that the fourth entry is up to par, and take the time necessary to do so.

Speaking further on its release strategy, CDPR’s Vice President of Technology, Charles Tremblay, addressed the possibility that The Witcher 4 will release on PC before it hits consoles. Tremblay seemed to debunk this, stating that “most likely, it will not have a PC-only launch,” adding, “I don’t think this is a strategy we want to adopt right now.” Tremblay also touched on the possibility that The Witcher 4 won’t release across all platforms simultaneously, with some players then needing to potentially wait for a port.

If The Witcher 4 Launches at the End of This Console Generation, It Might Get a Next-Gen Port Shortly After

As the wait for The Witcher 4 is likely to stretch for a few more years, this could dovetail with the next generation switch. Depending on the exact circumstances and timing of its own launch, fans could see The Witcher 4 coming to both console generations, similar to Cyberpunk 2077, as CDPR assumingly will want to make it available to as many audiences as possible, so long as it’s able to run and perform properly on the given platforms.

However, it might decide to launch for current-gen only in order to avoid any potential issues and produce a port afterward. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt received an updated version in 2022 that introduced a variety of graphical, performance, and quality of life upgrades. A similar approach could be taken for The Witcher 4, but with much less time between them.

Given its statements about how expansive it will be, though, the studio could take the opposite route and release The Witcher 4 solely on next-gen first to take advantage of the latest hardware capabilities, with versions for previous consoles arriving later. This could give CDPR the space to ensure a smooth next-gen launch, and then quickly make a port available for last-gen consoles so that players who own either can enjoy the next title near-simultaneously. Either way, The Witcher 4 might find itself in the position as the first major release of the new era, and will hopefully find the best way to capitalize on it.