Last updated: 9 August 2026
The Witcher 4 Beginner's Guide — Everything to Know Before You Play
The Witcher 4 is still a few years out, but CD Projekt Red has already confirmed a surprising amount about it — who you'll play as, what engine it runs on, how the studio is pacing the new trilogy, and what's staying the same from The Witcher 3. If you're trying to get up to speed without wading through years of scattered announcements, here's everything that's actually confirmed so far.
The Witcher 4 is CD Projekt Red's first chapter in a new Witcher trilogy, built in Unreal Engine 5 and starring Ciri as a fully-fledged witcher instead of Geralt. It's confirmed for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but CDPR has only said the game will not launch before 2027 — there is still no specific date. You don't need to have played the earlier games first, though it helps. Gwent is confirmed to return, and CDPR has said not to expect large paid expansions this time because the studio is aiming to release all three trilogy games within about six years.
01What The Witcher 4 Actually Is
The Witcher 4 is the first installment of a brand-new Witcher trilogy from CD Projekt Red, developed for years internally under the codename Project Polaris. It's a single-player, open-world action RPG built on Unreal Engine 5, replacing the studio's proprietary REDengine that powered the original Witcher trilogy and Cyberpunk 2077.
- It is not a remaster or a spin-off — it's a new, full-length RPG continuing the Witcher saga years after The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
- The studio has been public about switching to Unreal Engine 5 specifically for better tools, easier cross-team collaboration, and — according to CDPR's own leadership — a faster development cycle for the two sequels planned after it.
- As of the Q1 2026 earnings call, the team working on it had grown to 513 developers as of the end of April 2026, roughly twice the size of the team that shipped The Witcher 3.
02Release Date and Platforms — What's Actually Confirmed
This is the most searched-for detail, and also the one with the least certainty. CD Projekt Red's own leadership has repeated the same guidance multiple times, most recently at the company's Q1 2026 earnings call in late May 2026: The Witcher 4 will not launch before 2027. No specific date, quarter, or season has been announced.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. On PC, CDPR has confirmed the game will be available on Steam — this is not an Epic Games Store exclusive.
- No confirmed date beyond "not before 2027" — treat any specific month or season you see elsewhere as speculation until CD Projekt Red says otherwise.
- No PC system requirements have been published yet. Ignore any spec lists circulating online; none of them come from CDPR.
For the full timeline of what's been confirmed and when, see our dedicated release date and development guide.
03Meet Ciri, Your New Witcher
The biggest change from the original trilogy: you don't play as Geralt of Rivia this time. The Witcher 4 is played entirely as Cirilla "Ciri" Fiona Elen Riannon, Geralt's adopted daughter, some years after the events of The Witcher 3.
- The Witcher 4's story includes the Trial of Grasses — the brutal mutation process that turns ordinary humans into witchers. Game director Sebastian Kalemba has confirmed that players will experience this transformation directly as part of the game's narrative, rather than being told it happened before the game begins. Ciri emerges as a fully-fledged witcher, complete with witcher signs, a silver sword, and enhanced senses.
- She was also born with innate magical ability — her Elder Blood — on top of her witcher training, so she combines classic Witcher signs like Igni with broader sorcery that goes well beyond Geralt's toolkit.
- Her combat has reportedly been rebuilt around a more mobile, fluid style — the developers have contrasted her "liquid" movement with Geralt's more grounded, block-based combat from The Witcher 3.
- Full breakdown of her powers and moveset is in our combat and signs guide.
04Do You Need to Play the Previous Witcher Games First?
Not strictly, no. CD Projekt Red has designed The Witcher 4 as a new entry point with Ciri as protagonist, so you shouldn't need a Witcher 3 replay to follow along on a basic level.
- That said, playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt first will make Ciri's relationships, her Elder Blood power, and the state of the Continent land with a lot more weight — this story continues directly from where that game left off.
- Geralt is confirmed to appear in some capacity — series voice actor Doug Cockle is reprising the role — but CD Projekt Red has deliberately not detailed what his role actually is.
- Whether your specific Witcher 3 choices or save file carry over in any way has not been confirmed or denied by CDPR. Don't assume either way until the studio says something official.
05What's Different About How CDPR Is Approaching This Launch
One of the more surprising confirmations came from CDPR's own leadership rather than a trailer: the studio is planning to release all three Witcher trilogy games within roughly a six-year period — a much tighter cadence than its usual release schedule.
- To make that pace realistic, co-CEO Michal Nowakowski said at the Q1 2026 earnings call not to expect large paid expansions on the scale of The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine or Hearts of Stone for this game. Smaller, free post-launch content hasn't been ruled out.
- This is a genuine shift from CDPR's past pattern of supporting a single game for years with big DLC — worth knowing going in if you're expecting a Blood and Wine-sized follow-up.
FAQ
When does The Witcher 4 release?
CD Projekt Red has not announced a release date. The studio's leadership has repeated, most recently at the Q1 2026 earnings call, that the game will not launch before 2027. Treat any specific date you see elsewhere as speculation.
Who do you play as in The Witcher 4?
You play entirely as Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. The Witcher 4's story includes the Trial of Grasses — the process that turns ordinary humans into witchers — as a direct narrative experience for the player rather than as backstory. Ciri becomes a fully-fledged witcher over the course of the game. This is a change from the original trilogy, where you always played as Geralt.
Do I need to play the previous Witcher games before The Witcher 4?
No, CD Projekt Red has built it as a new entry point. Playing The Witcher 3 first is recommended for context and emotional payoff, but isn't required to follow the basic story.
Will The Witcher 4 have expansions like Blood and Wine?
CDPR's leadership has said not to expect expansions on that scale this time, since the studio is targeting a release for all three trilogy games within about six years. Smaller free DLC hasn't been ruled out.
What platforms is The Witcher 4 coming to?
PC (via Steam, not an Epic Games Store exclusive), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Is Gwent in The Witcher 4?
Yes. CD Projekt Red's developers have confirmed Gwent returns as part of the experience, though full details on how it's implemented haven't been shared yet.
Is The Witcher 4 multiplayer or co-op?
As far as CD Projekt Red has confirmed, it's a single-player, story-driven open-world RPG like its predecessors. No multiplayer or co-op mode has been announced.
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