CD Projekt Reveals 'Witcher 4' Console-First Strategy

CD Projekt has detailed its decision to adopt a "console-first" development strategy for the highly anticipated The Witcher 4 – a notable shift from its traditional PC-first approach.

Earlier this month, CD Projekt unveiled an impressive The Witcher 4 tech demo built in Unreal Engine 5, giving fans their first glimpse of what to expect. Captured on PlayStation 5 running at 60fps, the demo features Ciri exploring the previously unseen northern region of Kovir during a monster hunt.

The technical showcase reveals breathtaking attention to detail, with animation quality surpassing anything seen on current-gen consoles. Ciri and her horse Kelpie demonstrate remarkably lifelike movements and environmental interactions as they journey through Kovir's mountainous terrain to the bustling port of Valdrest. In one particularly impressive scene, developers packed the marketplace with 300 uniquely animated NPCs before concluding with our first look at Lan Exeter, Kovir's winter capital.

This change reflects lessons learned from Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch in 2020, when performance issues on base consoles became so severe that Sony removed the game from PlayStation Store and issued refunds. After years of corrective work, CD Projekt successfully rehabilitated Cyberpunk's reputation, culminating in its successful Switch 2 launch.

The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo Screenshots

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CD Projekt Global Art Director Jakub Knapik elaborated on the rationale: "Establishing strong technical foundations makes more sense when developing for consoles first. Once those parameters are set, scaling up to more powerful platforms like PC becomes more manageable."

While confirming the development shift, Tremblay reassured PC gamers: "Our roots are in PC gaming, and we remain committed to delivering premium experiences that make full use of high-end hardware. It's too early to detail specific PC enhancements for The Witcher 4."

The team faces an additional technical challenge with Microsoft's dual console requirement. While targeting 60fps on both Xbox Series X and the less powerful Series S, Tremblay admitted: "Achieving consistent 60fps on Series S will be extremely challenging – that's the next major technical hurdle we need to address."

With The Witcher 4 not expected until 2027 at the earliest, CD Projekt cautions that this early tech demo represents their vision rather than actual gameplay. However, it clearly demonstrates the studio's ambitious goals for the next chapter in The Witcher saga.