If you were hoping for The Witcher 4 in 2026, there’s bad news: it won’t happen.
CD Projekt confirmed during its latest investor report that the game will definitely not be released before the end of 2026. This means that the earliest possible release is 2027, and given the pace of development, it may take even longer. It seems that the creators are trying to avoid previous mistakes due to the fact that The Witcher 4 will be bigger than the previous part, а the plot will be independent of the Netflix series.
During the financial presentation, representatives of CD Projekt explicitly stated the delay:
«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», — says CD Projekt CFO Piotr Nilubowicz.
Moreover, during the Q&A session, the company refused to name a specific year of the game’s release. Although, it is logical to assume that it is aiming for 2027 or even later.
Another interesting point in this whole story is the possible coincidence of the release with the launch of the next generation of consoles. Microsoft plans to release a new Xbox in 2027 and Sony, most likely, is aiming for the same period for PS6. If The Witcher 4 is indeed released in 2027 or 2028, it could make it one of the first major RPGs for new platforms.
It is currently known that the development of The Witcher 4 has officially entered full production and at The Game Awards 2024 the studio released the first cinematic teaser with Ciri. But the game is far from over.
CD Projekt is probably in no hurry, keeping in mind the problematic launch of Cyberpunk 2077. The company has repeatedly emphasized that it does not want to repeat the mistakes of the past, which means that the team will work in a comfortable environment without crazy deadlines. The studio understands the crazy love for The Witcher series, so it realizes that fans will «eat» them if the game turns out to be overbuilt and «raw».
If you were planning to return to the world of The Witcher 4 in the coming years, you’ll have to be patient. Or at least read Sapkowski’s books again, a new part has just been released and will soon appear in Ukrainian localization.
Source: PC Gamer
