CD Projekt Red Confirms: "The Witcher 4" is Now in Full Production

[AleksandarK]

CD Projekt Red has officially entered full production on their highly anticipated next installment of The Witcher series, currently known as Project Polaris. Game Director Sebastian Kalemba announced via X, notifying that the studio is now in the development of what fans call "The Witcher 4." This new chapter represents a departure from the familiar, as the studio confirms it will not center on the series protagonist, Geralt of Rivia. Speculation suggests his adopted daughter Ciri may take the helm, potentially introducing a more agile and dynamic combat system that aligns with her character's supernatural abilities. The game is part of an ambitious expansion of The Witcher universe, which includes five concurrent projects.

Among these is a ground-up remake of the 2007 original Witcher game, dubbed Project Canis Majoris, being developed by Polish studio Fool's Theory under CD Projekt Red's creative oversight. Boston-based studio The Molasses Flood is also working on a unique spin-off title that promises an "unusual approach" to the franchise. Additionally, CD Projekt Red has abandoned its proprietary RED engine in favor of Unreal Engine 5 for all new projects. While the studio remains characteristically tight-lipped about the production timeline, a rough estimate is that the development period for a game of this caliber requires two to five years, given CD Projekt Red's track record of prioritizing quality over speed. The company has also revealed plans to develop their next Cyberpunk title primarily from their Boston location, with support from Vancouver and Warsaw teams.



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[de.das.dude]

So no more content for CP2077?

 

[the54thvoid]

After the Blood and Wine expansion in W3, I settled down with Yennifer in our vineyard.

My Geralt's too old for this shit.

Just read it's not focusing on Geralt. Bummer.

This is exactly what people are getting pissed at - drawing out IP's until there's nothing left. It's nothing to do with anything other than squeezing cash from the eager customer - no agenda, no politics; it's just about piggybacking on prior success.

I'd give the game a go if it's centered around Ciri (she was a major player, after all), but the other mentioned IP's? Not so sure.

 

[Chomiq]

Witcher 3 had a good ending, as much as I love the character it's better to leave good memories than to risk ruining it with something mediocre.

 

[ZoneDymo]

So no more content for CP2077?

they got your money

 

[SN2716057]

If the gameplay and story is good, who cares who the lead character is? Although if it's Ciri it would be cool, of course.
Also I had to reply the Witcher 3 several times to get the good ending.

 

[the54thvoid]

If the gameplay and story is good, who cares who the lead character is? Although if it's Ciri it would be cool, of course.
Also I had to reply the Witcher 3 several times to get the good ending.

Ditto on the ending part.

The lead character is important because Geralt is 'The' Witcher. Although 'witcher' is a profession, the game focuses on him, so a new character, at least to me, dilutes the experience. I bonded to that fictional, grumpy bastard.

So yeah. Ciri or go home.

 

[Onasi]

I feel like it won’t be Ciri centered, she’s a character that’s really hard to make a story around at this point. They’ll probably return to the “make your own Witcher” idea that they have started out with way back when they were developing the very first game.
Well, that and it’s me personally hoping for a NOT Ciri centric game. I found here obnoxious way before TW3 in the books. Just isn’t a character I am interested in playing.

 

[piloponth]

So no more content for CP2077?

They already started very early stages of 2nd CP - project Orion.

 

[mate123]

Hope they learnt their lesson of not showing anything before it is final...

 

[Macro Device]

Would've been fun for it to be an alternative universe project, like, we also got Geralt as the main protagonist but it's NOT THAT GERALT, and everything else looks kinda familiar but details differ drastically. And no Yennifer for you, she had been replaced with Jonah, because in parallel universe, her mother gave birth to a man. A very obnoxious and extremely idiot savant man.

//never played any Witcher games

 

[Onasi]

@Macro Device
Unironically kinda supported by the books and even the games themselves. An on-going joke is that they should make a Cyberpunk game starring Ciri since she actually mentions visiting a world that is staggeringly similar.

 

[Readlight]

The game where 1 level haw to fight with 100 level monster.

 

[Macro Device]

Ciri since she actually mentions visiting a world that is staggeringly similar.

"Oh, anon, I have seen a flying thing dropping people on top of a very tall building that collapsed minutes after..."

 

[Onasi]

@Macro Device
You joke, but almost a direct quote, actually. At least with the flying thing. CDPR weren't subtle.

 

[Macro Device]

You joke

Not even my final form.

Imagine Geralt being "interrogated" like that in the intro:

 

[Ruru]

I have to shamefully admit that still haven't played any of the Witchers even though I have then on Steam. Too much games on my backlog already.

 

[Apocalypsee]

I play Witcher 3 three years after it released, IMO it's one of the best game I ever played. I will wait till the game patched and GoTY first before buying it. I don't mind starting with other character instead of Geralt. I try to play earlier Witcher 1 and 2, Witcher 1 played totally different from 3 but you'll get used to it. Unfortunately, I got stuck on some quest with no marker or any leads. If they remake the 1 with 3 gameplay I'll buy it.

 

[TechLurker]

I'm down for a Ciri-led sequel, as long as they don't uglify her like most Western devs have been doing as of late. She was pretty enough in the last game, just making her a bit older but still pretty would be enough. It would also be neat to play more into a more fluid combat style that mixes magic and melee in a way uniquely distinct from Geralt.

 

[Vayra86]

Not even my final form.

Imagine Geralt being "interrogated" like that in the intro:
View attachment 373656

'Mine says .50 Desert Eagle'
Shit I need to watch that again.

I'm down for a Ciri-led sequel, as long as they don't uglify her like most Western devs have been doing as of late. She was pretty enough in the last game, just making her a bit older but still pretty would be enough. It would also be neat to play more into a more fluid combat style that mixes magic and melee in a way uniquely distinct from Geralt.

Just wait for the Horizon Forbidden West protagonist makeover.... naaah I really don't think CDPR is going to descend to that level. They're hopefully still as stubborn and 'real' as they showed they were in Cyberpunk. The game is the game, not some transplantation of social media hypes, at best they will be ridiculed or used to further the story. I hope they have the nuts to keep doing that, because its also a big addition to their games, making you think, reflect. They make games for adults, I hope they won't start making them for kids.

Still though... I'm not holding my breath for this sequel. CDPR has shown a glaring lack of good project management, and the company still kept growing. So there's talent there... but there's also a company culture issue that they seem to have trouble countering. Five projects now? Okay. I'll see it when I see it. I'm still hoping they really breathe more life into their Cyberpunk world, the next time they do something with it. Similarly, if they're going to do repeat of TW3... it won't fly, the game needs to evolve, mostly in the combat and progression department, something Cyberpunk also struggled with (and still does, imho, the new talent trees aren't always an improvement). More RPG. More build options. And perhaps a slightly more condensed, and/or more dynamic, world. I wouldn't mind me a bit more of a sandbox in this game. Its either that, or don't do open world, honestly. I'm playing through Rogue Trader now and the game is/feels super expansive, but if you look at the details, there really aren't that many maps/surface area to work with. Still, I'm clocking >50 hours already. The world still feels 'open' and 'non linear' even if its not.

 

[Macro Device]

Shit I need to watch that again.

Yeah, me too. Never watched in the original English. Only the Dimitry Puchkov's voice-over (Russian language of course).