Don't hold your breath for The Witcher 4. According to CD Projekt, the highly anticipated game won't be released until 2027 at the earliest. In a recent financial call, the developers outlined their projections for future profits, stating, "Even though we do not plan to release The Witcher 4 by the end of 2026, we are still driven by this financial goal. And although it's very ambitious, we stand a chance of achieving it within the given timeframe." This statement effectively rules out any possibility of a launch in 2024 or 2025, setting 2027 as the earliest possible release date. However, given the unpredictable nature of the video game industry, there's a chance that The Witcher 4 could slip into 2028.
The projected 2027 release suggests that The Witcher 4 might be designed with next-generation consoles in mind. With Sony likely working on plans for the PlayStation 6 and Microsoft rumored to target a 2027 release for the successor to the Xbox Series X and an Xbox handheld, the game could potentially be a cross-gen title, similar to Cyberpunk 2077, which launched on both current and previous-gen consoles. This raises the question of whether The Witcher 4 could also be adapted for the Nintendo Switch 2. While it may seem unlikely, the fact that The Witcher 3 was successfully ported to the original Switch shows that anything is possible.
The Witcher 4 marks the beginning of a new trilogy set after the events of The Witcher 3. This time, the spotlight shifts from Geralt to Ciri, who takes on the role of the protagonist. In an exclusive interview with IGN ahead of the game's reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained the decision to focus on Ciri, saying, "It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She's an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it's like she was meant to be. That was always her."
In January, during an interview with IGN about Netflix's upcoming animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep, Geralt's voice actor Doug Cockle expressed his support for CD Projekt's decision to shift the focus to Ciri. "I'm really excited," he said. "I think it's a really good move. I mean, I always thought that continuing the Saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done."
In February, the director of The Witcher 4 clarified that a new video featured the same in-game model of Ciri, dispelling rumors that her appearance had changed. For more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt discussing how they plan to avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster, stay tuned.
The Witcher IV Game Awards Trailer Screenshots
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