CD Projekt Red Doubles Down on Six-Year Window for New Witcher Trilogy
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
CD Projekt Red is standing by its plan to release a new trilogy of Witcher games within a six-year window, defying modern AAA development trends by leaning on Unreal Engine 5 efficiency.
CD Projekt Red is sticking to its remarkably aggressive timeline for the next chapter of the Witcher franchise. According to a recent report by Oli Welsh at Polygon, the studio has reiterated its plan to release a full trilogy of new Witcher games within a tight six-year window, starting with The Witcher 4. Given that the series opener is not expected until 2027 at the earliest, executing this plan would mean launching two massive sequels in rapid succession just three years apart from each other.
This kind of rapid fire release schedule flies in the face of modern AAA development realities. In an era where players wait six to eight years for single massive titles like Grand Theft Auto 6 or major releases from Naughty Dog, promising three massive open world RPGs in six years sounds almost impossible. Franchise mainstays like Assassin's Creed have also stretched out their development cycles to cope with the sheer scale and fidelity demanded by today's hardware across PC and current gen consoles.
However, CD Projekt Red co CEO Michał Nowakowski points to the studio's transition to Unreal Engine 5 as the key to unlocking this speed. Speaking to investors, Nowakowski expressed strong confidence in the engine and noted that the studio is already seeing efficiency gains. With The Witcher 4 entering full production in late 2024, the studio is betting that running pre-production on sequels in parallel with active development will let them defy industry trends. Whether this is realistic pipeline management or simply keeping investors happy remains to be seen, but it is a fascinating bet against the traditional bloated AAA timeline.
Tags: CD Projekt Red, The Witcher 4, Gaming News, PC Gaming, Console Gaming
Original article: Polygon