While no release date was given for CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 4, fans were hopeful for a 2026 release, but new information has dashed these hopes and pushed the release date further out. CD Projekt RED is working on multiple projects besides The Witcher 4, which gives credence to the fact the follow-up to The Witcher 3 won’t be ready for release by 2026, not even the end of that year as many had hoped. However, the year 2027 has been floated by the developer, but even this is only considered a possibility meaning it may be longer before fans get behind Ciri in The Witcher 4.
Videos by ComicBook.com
This information comes from CD Projekt RED’s Group FY 2024 Earnings Conference. Here, the studio held various conversations, but some of the most important news was the talk about The Witcher 4’s release window.
RELATED: 10 Witcher Characters We Need to See Again in The Witcher 4
A key quote comes from Piotr Nielubowicz, who spoke on the new Witcher game during the briefing.
“We are not going to announce the precise launch date for the game yet,” Nielubowicz said.
He continued by speaking more towards the investors to give a broad window for when the game could release.
“All we could share now to give more visibility to investors is that the game will not be launched within the time frame of the first target for the incentive program, which ends December 31, 2026.”
With development times ballooning for games more and more, especially AAA games, this extended time for The Witcher 4 certainly makes sense. Even for a studio as large as CD Projekt RED, an undertaking like The Witcher 4 takes time. Even the reveal trailer took 14 days of mocap and other assets, and this was a brief look at the game.
In addition to The Witcher 4, CD Projekt RED is working on its Project Orion, the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, and recently announced a partnership with mobile game developer Scopely. CD Projekt RED also announced a remake of The Witcher is in the works. These will pull resources from The Witcher 4 even if different teams are involved with each project.
Regarding this, however, fans can rest easy knowing a significant portion of the team who worked on The Witcher 3 was reprised for The Witcher 4. While this doesn’t guarantee the success and popularity The Witcher 3 had, it is certainly a good sign for The Witcher 4.
It may be disappointing to know that The Witcher 4 is still a ways off, but in reality, expecting such a massive game to have a quick turnaround never goes well. In an age where games fail to hit release dates and get delayed after delay, perhaps it is better in the end to push the release date out further and bring it forward if possible.
The Witcher 4 has been confirmed to be in full production though, so CD Projekt RED is treating the game with the respect it deserves. Fans will likely get more news and trailers as time goes on, so, unfortunately, the only thing to do is be patient, though replaying The Witcher 3 is always an option as well.
