Witcher 4 Aimed for PS6 and Next-Gen Xbox by 2027

Don't hold your breath for The Witcher 4. CD Projekt has confirmed that the highly anticipated game won't be released until 2027 at the earliest. During a financial call discussing future profit projections, the developer 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 statement effectively rules out a launch in 2024, which some fans had hoped for, and sets the earliest possible release for 2027. However, given the unpredictable nature of the video game industry, there's a possibility that The Witcher 4 might slip into 2028. A 2027 release suggests that the game could be targeting the next generation of consoles, with Sony likely working on the PlayStation 6 and Microsoft rumored to be planning a 2027 release for the successor to the Xbox Series X and a new Xbox handheld. Whether The Witcher 4 will be a cross-gen game like Cyberpunk 2077, which launched on both current and last-gen consoles in December 2020, remains to be seen. There's also speculation about a version for the rumored Nintendo Switch 2, though it seems unlikely given the game's scope, but remember, The Witcher 3 did make it to the original Switch, so surprises can happen.

What we know for sure is that The Witcher 4 is the first entry in a new trilogy set after the events of The Witcher 3. This time, instead of Geralt, the protagonist will be Ciri. In an exclusive interview with IGN before the reveal of The Witcher 4, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained the choice of Ciri as the protagonist, saying, "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."

In a January interview with IGN regarding Netflix's upcoming animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep, Geralt's voice actor Doug Cockle expressed his support for the shift to Ciri as the protagonist. He said, "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 new video featured the same in-game model of Ciri, dispelling rumors that her appearance had changed.

The Witcher IV Game Awards Trailer Screenshots

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For more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, check out our trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt where they discuss how they plan to avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster.