The Witcher 4 was announced at The Game Awards 2024, with a CG trailer inspiring plenty of buzz and anticipation. While there are many reasons to be excited, CD Projekt Red has now confirmed the game won’t actually launch until at least 2027 – so it’s best to keep a lid on all that hype.
The news was tucked away in the company’s latest investor report, which outlined optimism about the company’s future, even despite its biggest releases being so far away. “Even though we do not plan to release The Witcher 4 by the end of 2026, we are still driven by this financial goal [hitting net profit of 2 billion złoty],” Piotr Nielubowicz, CD Projekt CFO said (via Polygon).
While the early trailer for the game did hint it was still a number of years away, there was still some hope The Witcher 4 would be a nearer prospect. Over the last few years, many companies have shifted away from over-long release windows beyond game reveals, as audiences have proven impatient and it’s difficult to maintain excitement for so long.
The far-too-early trailer for The Elder Scrolls 6, for example, has become a lesson on what not to do when driving excitement for a new release. In the years since this reveal, it’s become a bit of a joke, and any tidbits that trickle out about The Elder Scrolls 6 are usually met with a sigh.
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Two-and-a-bit years isn’t so long to wait before The Witcher 4, but it does indicate this game will have a longer development cycle than first expected. It’s also means keen players watching for the Wild Hunt follow-up will need to stay patient, and keep an eye out for more news.
What do we know about The Witcher 4 so far?
While the news of the game’s planned release date will likely be deflating for those anticipating it sooner, at the very least, its early trailer has revealed a range of tidbits we can pore over.
First up, we know Ciri will be the main Witcher of this game, and that long-time series protagonist Geralt will appear, but take a back seat. The early trailer has revealed Ciri will take a similar role to Geralt, with a remit to save villagers from the threats of strange, eldritch beasts as they arise.
Beyond these early plot details, we also know The Witcher 4 will kick off a new trilogy of Witcher games, likely maintaining that focus on Ciri. While these games will seemingly diverge from the source material somewhat, we do expect them to retain the unique flavour of The Witcher.
For now, that’s about all we know of The Witcher 4, but we are likely to hear much more in future. Stay tuned as CD Projekt Red continues to work on the game.
