Don't hold your breath for The Witcher 4. According to CD Projekt, the developers behind the iconic series, fans won't see the game hit the shelves until 2027 at the earliest. This timeline was revealed during a financial call where the company discussed projections for future profits. CD Projekt stated, "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 effectively rules out a launch in the current year, which was not widely expected, and next year, which some fans had hoped for. Instead, 2027 emerges as the earliest possible release date, though this is contingent on everything going according to plan—a rare occurrence in the unpredictable world of video game development. Could The Witcher 4 slip into 2028? It certainly seems within the realm of possibility.
With a 2027 release, The Witcher 4 is poised to align with the next generation of consoles. Sony is likely already plotting its PlayStation 6 strategy, while Microsoft is rumored to be targeting a 2027 launch for its Xbox Series X successor and a new Xbox handheld. An intriguing question arises: will The Witcher 4 be a cross-gen title, similar to Cyberpunk 2077, which launched in December 2020 across multiple platforms? If so, could it also make its way to the Nintendo Switch 2? While this seems unlikely on the surface, the precedent set by The Witcher 3's release on the original Switch suggests that anything is possible in the gaming world.
Here's what we know so far: The Witcher 4 marks the beginning of a new trilogy set in the universe post-The Witcher 3. However, instead of featuring Geralt as the protagonist, the spotlight shifts to Ciri. In an exclusive interview with IGN ahead of the game's reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained the choice, stating, "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."
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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 center the new game around Ciri. He shared, "I'm really excited. 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 newly released video featured the same in-game model of Ciri, dispelling any confusion about changes to her appearance. For more in-depth insights, check out our exclusive content, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt, where they discuss why The Witcher 4 will avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster.
