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The Witcher IV

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The Witcher IV
Developer(s)CD Projekt Red
Publisher(s)CD Projekt
Director(s)Sebastian Kalemba
SeriesThe Witcher
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

The Witcher IV is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by CD Projekt. It is the planned first installment of a new trilogy in The Witcher series and is set after the events of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015). Unlike the original trilogy, which featured book protagonist Geralt of Rivia as the playable character, The Witcher IV features his adoptive daughter, Ciri of Cintra, as the protagonist.

Development

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In March 2022, CD Projekt Red (CDPR) announced that they were working on a new game in The Witcher series.[1] By October, the studio revealed that it would serve as the first installment in a new trilogy.[2] Following the release of Cyberpunk 2077 (2020), CDPR made structural changes to its production process, extending the pre-production phase to establish clear development stages and ensure cohesive designs for future projects, including the new Witcher game,[3] which remained in pre-production from May 2022 until November 2024, when full-scale development began.[4][5] Internally, the game was referred to by the codename Project Polaris.[2]

The developers aimed to ensure that the game would not contradict or "break" the established canon, regardless of the player's choices in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015). CDPR also recognized that some players might be unfamiliar with the previous games and sought to design The Witcher IV as both a fresh entry point for newcomers and a continuation for longtime fans.[3] The studio has long considered the idea of a game where Ciri, who appeared as a supporting, occasionally playable character in Wild Hunt, serves as the main protagonist, describing her as a "very organic, logical choice".[6][7] Cian Maher, franchise and lore designer at CDPR, explained that "The Witcher as a title refers to both [the protagonist of the original trilogy] Geralt and Ciri and always has", with the latter being "arguably more important to the plot than Geralt himself". Unlike Geralt, a seasoned monster hunter throughout the series, Ciri is depicted in The Witcher IV as an aspiring monster hunter who is "about to form her own codex on her own terms".[3] Ciara Berkeley was cast as Ciri, replacing Jo Wyatt, who voiced the character in Wild Hunt.[8] Doug Cockle will reprise his role as Geralt.[9]

Game director Sebastian Kalemba emphasized that the developers aim to expand player agency by offering more options for both narrative and gameplay decisions, creating a more personalized experience. The studio wanted to enhance gameplay flexibility by drawing on their experience with Cyberpunk 2077, particularly in aligning world exploration with improved coherence across main story missions, side quests, and open world activities.[3] The game is being developed using Unreal Engine 5, which CDPR adopted after transitioning away from their proprietary REDengine—the technology previously used for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (2011) and Wild Hunt.[1] Unlike the development of Cyberpunk 2077, the studio began testing the game on consoles early in production to avoid crunch.[10]

The Witcher IV was announced with its debut trailer at the Game Awards in December 2024.[11] The trailer was pre-rendered in-engine on an "unannounced" Nvidia graphics card, rather than showcasing real-time rendered scenes.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b Sarkar, Samit (21 March 2022). "The next Witcher game is in development". Polygon. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b Jones, Ali (4 October 2022). "Everything announced at the CD Projekt Red investor call". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Purslow, Matt (13 December 2024). "Inside The Witcher 4: CD Projekt Red's Plans For Its Next Big RPG". IGN. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  4. ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (26 May 2022). "The Witcher 4 Has Entered Pre-Production". IGN. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  5. ^ Broadwell, Josh (26 November 2024). "CDPR's Project Polaris, aka The Witcher 4, is finally in full production, as Cyberpunk 2077 sales hit new milestone". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  6. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (13 December 2024). "The Witcher 4 Developer CD Projekt Explains Why It Went With Ciri Over Continuing With Geralt as Protagonist". IGN. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  7. ^ Karmali, Luke (15 December 2014). "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Will Let You Play as Ciri". IGN. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  8. ^ Bevan, Rhiannon (13 December 2024). "[Updated] The Witcher 4 Trailer Recasts Ciri". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  9. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (13 December 2024). "Geralt Is in The Witcher 4 and That Is Indeed Doug Cockle's Voice in the Trailer, CD Projekt Confirms". IGN. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  10. ^ Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (17 October 2023). "What have The Witcher 4 or "Polaris" team learned from Cyberpunk 2077? Test on console early and avoid crunch". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  11. ^ Diaz, Ana (13 December 2024). "Witcher 4 trailer reveals Ciri as its playable progatonist". Polygon. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  12. ^ Edser, Andy (13 December 2024). "The Witcher 4 reveal trailer has been 'pre-rendered on an unannounced Nvidia GeForce GPU' which tells us... not much actually". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
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