CD Projekt Red Details Unreal Engine 5 Plans for The Witcher IV

CD Projekt RED is confident that switching to Unreal Engine 5 will not strip The Witcher IV of its signature visual style, as the studio is working alongside Epic Games to adapt the engine to its requirements.

For many years, CD Projekt RED used its proprietary REDengine, which powers The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. The Witcher IV will be the studio’s first major game built on Unreal Engine 5. One of the main questions surrounding the technology shift was whether the games would retain their distinctive look.

Michał Nowakowski, co-CEO of CD Projekt RED, stated that the studio is collaborating directly with Epic Games to tailor Unreal Engine 5. According to him, the developers do not intend to settle for the limitations of an off-the-shelf engine.

When we decided to change the engine, people said: “Oh, it’s going to be just another Unreal-looking game.” But that’s not going to happen. We will genuinely be able to stand out. People will still feel that this is a CDPR game, and the technology running under the hood will practically not matter from a fan’s perspective.

The transition to Unreal Engine 5 is also expected to accelerate development. CD Projekt RED plans to release three core games in the new Witcher saga over the course of six years.

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