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The Witcher is getting an Unreal Engine 5 remake

The remake will be a joint collaboration between CD Project Red and studio Fool's Theory.
the witcher remake

CD Projekt Red has officially unveiled project ‘Canis Majoris’ – a full remake of The Witcher for modern consoles. The first game in the beloved series will get a major facelift via Unreal Engine 5, with the action redesigned ‘from the ground up’.

‘We want to do this right, so please be patient — it’s gonna be a while until we can share more details,’ CD Projekt Red announced on Twitter.

In a more detailed blog post, the company has confirmed the remake is in the ‘early stages of development’ at Fool’s Theory – a studio housing veterans from the Witcher series. CD Projekt Red is providing ‘full creative supervision’ of the development process, and will guide the team going forward.

Read: CD Projekt Red confirms new Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, and mystery title

The Witcher is where it all started for us, for CD Projekt Red. It was the first game we made, ever, and it was a big moment for us then. Going back to this place and remaking the game for the next generation of gamers to experience it feels just as big, if not bigger,’ Adam Badowski, Head of Studio at CD Projekt Red said of the upcoming game.

‘Collaborating with Fool’s Theory on the project is just as exciting, as some of the people there have been previously involved in The Witcher games. They know the source material well, they know how much gamers have been looking forward to seeing the remake happen, and they know how to make incredible and ambitious games. And although it will take some time before we’re ready to share more about and from the game, I know it’ll be worth the wait.’

The Witcher is an iconic game in its own right, but it’s fair to say it’s looking dated on modern hardware. Combat is fairly stiff, the world is beige and flat, and Geralt himself is never quite given time to shine in this adventure. There’s no doubt the game would benefit from a fresh reimagining.

We’ll likely learn more about this upcoming remake in future, as Fool’s Theory and CD Projekt Red continue working on the title.

Leah J. Williams is a gaming and entertainment journalist who's spent years writing about the games industry, her love for The Sims 2 on Nintendo DS and every piece of weird history she knows. You can find her tweeting @legenette most days.