Unreal Engine 5 Switch Marks a New Chapter for The Witcher 4 and CD Projekt Red

CD Projekt Red's transition to Unreal Engine 5 is about more than technology. It reflects the studio's long-term focus on immersive storytelling, creative development, and building more games.

The studio behind The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 is preparing for a new development era, with The Witcher 4 and future projects moving away from its proprietary REDengine to Unreal Engine 5.

According to CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michal Nowakowski, the decision was not primarily driven by REDengine's limitations or the launch challenges of Cyberpunk 2077. Instead, it reflects the studio's original ambition: creating technically impressive games that tell stories in convincing and immersive ways.

Why CD Projekt Red Chose Unreal Engine 5

Nowakowski explained that an early look at Epic Games' The Matrix Awakens demo helped spark the studio's interest in Unreal Engine 5.

Although the engine was not initially ready to support games of CD Projekt Red's scale and technical requirements, the studio saw an opportunity to develop that capability through a close partnership with Epic Games.

The collaboration allows both companies to work on engine improvements tailored to the demands of large-scale open-world RPGs.

A Collaborative Approach to Game Development

CD Projekt Red is working closely with Epic Games on Unreal Engine 5's underlying technology, helping adapt the engine for the studio's specific development needs.

Rather than building and maintaining an entire proprietary engine from scratch, the studio can focus more of its resources on game creation, storytelling, and the specialized technology required for its projects.

Nowakowski said this approach could help the studio tell more stories and release more games, while still developing the features needed for its ambitious RPG experiences.

What This Means for The Witcher 4

The Witcher 4 is expected to benefit from the collaboration, which aims to support the scale and technical demands of CD Projekt Red's future games.

The partnership has also generated interest around potential improvements to open-world performance and development workflows. However, specific performance outcomes and technical benefits for the final game have not yet been confirmed.

The Witcher 4 is currently planned for release in 2028, giving the studio additional time to develop its next-generation RPG using Unreal Engine 5.

Meanwhile, fans can look forward to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past, an upcoming expansion expected in 2027.

CD Projekt Red's engine transition represents a broader development strategy: combining the flexibility of a widely supported engine with specialized collaboration to build expansive worlds and deliver immersive storytelling.

Source: Wccftech.com

Expert Insights

CD Projekt Red's Unreal Engine 5 transition highlights how studios can combine established technology with specialized development to support ambitious open-world games.

For a game development company, this partnership demonstrates how collaboration on engine capabilities can help teams focus on gameplay, storytelling, and immersive player experiences.

Key takeaway: Choosing the right technology and development partnerships can help studios concentrate on creating games while addressing the technical demands of large-scale projects.