Witcher 4 Release Date Is Still Far Away - At Least Until 2027
Witcher 4 is still a long way from its planned release date, and the official has not revealed much information. It is speculated that the release date will not be earlier than 2027. Many players are both excited and nervous about this.
The planned release date of Witcher 4 is still up in the air, and so little information is known that players are impatient about it. Although everyone believes that it will take several more months to develop, many players are pessimistic about the delayed release date.
However, one thing is clear: Witcher 4 will most likely not be officially released until 2027.
Player Expectations
For players who have repeatedly completed Witcher 3 on PC, Steam Deck, PS4 and Xbox One platforms, the subsequent Next-Gen update can no longer satisfy players’ desire. Especially before this, the official also released the first trailer, which hinted at the shift of the narrative focus of Witcher series with 30 seconds of lens language. The exquisite visual effects, combined with the excellent music in the background, successfully ignited the enthusiasm of players.
But then again, the change of perspective from Geralt to Ciri may mean a key turning point in the self-innovation of this game, and it is understandable that players have great expectations. Unfortunately, this carefully polished visual feast is still in vain - Witcher 4 has not yet announced the specific supported platforms, let alone the exact release schedule.
Time Prediction
At the 2024 fiscal year earnings conference, the company’s CFO Piotr Nielubowicz poured cold water on all those who were looking forward to it - they will not announce the exact release date of The Witcher 4 in the near future. But there is a key time node hidden behind this statement: December 31, 2026. This is the deadline for their current stock option incentive plan, and the official has made it clear that the new work will not be released before this deadline.
However, they also talked about Ciri’s game may be released in 2027. The studio mentioned that Witcher 4 entered mass production in November 2024. At the same time, Cyberpunk 2077 has indeed brought record profits, so the company is also promoting new adaptations for it. Both tasks require a lot of time and energy, so we need to wait patiently.
It is worth noting that the time schedule overlaps subtly with the next-generation console replacement cycle. According to forecasts, Microsoft plans to launch the all-digital version of Xbox Series X replacement model in 2027, and Sony’s PS6 may also debut around 2028. This may also explain why the developer wants to position Witcher 4 as a cross-generation work - just like Witcher 3 landed on both PS4 and Xbox One, maximizing user coverage during the transition period between the new and old platforms.
Technical Level
From a technical level point of view, the new engine to be introduced has made great breakthroughs in Lumen and Nanite technology, which can indeed make the game scene reach an unprecedented level of realism. But the problems caused by the engine conversion should not be underestimated - you know, Cyberpunk 2077 has experienced a painful adaptation period.
In addition, the development log also shows that the project will not enter Full Production until November 2024, which is about 12-18 months later than the normal development cycle of 3A masterpieces in the industry. Considering that The Witcher series has always been known for its pursuit of excellence, the developer pays great attention to details. Compared with the development time of Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, the prediction that Witcher 4 can be released in 2027 is indeed conservative.
Other Views
The discussion on Reddit forum is obviously polarized. Some people believe that the spring of 2027 is the best release window, which can avoid other popular game releases at the end of the year and allow enough polishing time. Others dug out the release history of Cyberpunk 2077 and reminded everyone not to have too much expectations for this time. What’s interesting is that both groups agree on the same point of view: it would be better to wait two more years than to compress the quality of the game. The official has also stated that it will no longer compress the development time for the market.
Witcher 4 is like wine, which needs time to settle to become more mellow. Maybe we should really learn to enjoy this kind of expectation full of uncertainty. After all, no one wants to see Ciri’s adventure story become a half-finished product.