Summary
CD Projekt Red most likely will not releaseThe Witcher 4on PC before bringing the open world RPG to consoles. CD Projekt Red is currently working onThe Witcher 4, aka Project Polaris, though very little is known about the game so far.
All fans really know about the new game for sure is thatThe Witcher 4is being built with Unreal Engine 5. CD Projekt Red has also hyped its ambitions for the game, but otherwise, not much has been revealed. More information onThe Witcher 4will no doubt come to light as we get closer to the game’s eventual release date, including what platforms it will be launching on.
Recently,Eurogamer spoke with CD Projekt Red’s Vice President of Technology, Charles Tremblay, who addressed the possibility thatThe Witcher 4will release on PC before it hits consoles. Tremblay confirmed that it’s something that has been discussed, but that “most likely” the new game “will not have a PC-only launch.” Tremblay added, “I don’t think this is a strategy we want to adopt right now.” Tremblay did leave open the possibility thatThe Witcher 4won’t release across all platforms simultaneously, however. “Let’s say there were 20 platforms available; we’ll have 20 at launch? Maybe not.” So while fans may be able to expectThe Witcher 4to release on PS5 and Xbox Series X whenever it launches, it may not be available for the Nintendo Switch 2, just as an example. Ultimately, fans won’t know concrete details aboutThe Witcher 4’s release plans until much later on.
The Witcher 4 Will Likely Launch Simultaneously for PC and Consoles
If CD Projekt Red were to releaseThe Witcher 4as a PC-only game first, it would undoubtedly upset console gamers and would likely not be worth the backlash. However, other companies have done this to great success. As pointed out by Eurogamer,Baldur’s Gate 3released on PC firstbefore eventually being ported to PS5 and Xbox Series X. Not only that, butThe Witcher 4adopting such a strategy could potentially help it avoid some of the headaches experienced byCyberpunk 2077back in the day.
Cyberpunk 2077had a disastrous launchon consoles, and while it certainly wasn’t perfect on PC, those with powerful rigs had a far more positive experience than PS4 and Xbox One gamers.The Witcher 4prioritizing a properly optimized PC release at launch could help the game avoid the same pitfalls asCyberpunk 2077did, but considering the sizable audience for the franchise on consoles, it may not make the most financial sense. Whatever the case may be, for now, it sounds likeThe Witcher 4will be available on PC and consoles simultaneously whenever it hits store shelves.
The Witcher
The Witcher is a 3D action RPG series developed by CD Projekt Red featuring the exploits of Geralt of Rivia. Steeped in fantasy, The Witcher series is based on the books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
