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The clock above counts down to the launch of The Witcher 4 (codename Polaris), CD Projekt Red's first mainline Witcher game since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in 2015. CDPR has confirmed the game will not release before 2027, with most external estimates pointing to late 2027 at the earliest. Polaris is the opening chapter of a planned new Witcher trilogy with Ciri as the protagonist.
The Witcher 4 is one of the most-anticipated RPG countdowns of the decade. The Witcher 3 has sold more than 60 million copies and remains a benchmark for open-world RPG design; CDPR's bumpy 2020 launch of Cyberpunk 2077 and its multi-year recovery effort means Witcher 4 is also a credibility test for the studio's renewed development pipeline. This time the engine is Unreal Engine 5 — the first mainline Witcher game not built on CDPR's bespoke REDengine — under a long-term partnership with Epic Games.
The studio confirmed that full production began in November 2024 and that 499 employees were on the project as of March 2026, the largest team CDPR has ever assigned to a single game. A cinematic teaser at The Game Awards 2024 strongly implied Ciri — Geralt's adopted daughter and heir to the Witcher mantle — as the lead. Ciri's protagonist role is a generational baton-pass that fans have been speculating about since Wild Hunt's conclusion.
The Witcher 4 will release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC at minimum, with simultaneous worldwide launch expected. Pre-orders have not opened. CDPR's parallel projects — Project Sirius (a separate Witcher game from Massive Entertainment) and the remake of the original Witcher — indicate the studio is treating the franchise as a long-cycle multi-product line.
For other 2027 RPG launches, see the Elder Scrolls VI countdown and the GTA VI countdown. For CDPR's broader pipeline, see the Cyberpunk 2 (Project Orion) countdown. For the show's continuation, see the Witcher Season 4 countdown.
When does The Witcher 4 release? CDPR has confirmed it will not release before 2027; most estimates point to late 2027 or 2028. Who is the protagonist? Ciri — strongly implied by the December 2024 cinematic teaser and CDPR's narrative briefings. What platforms is it on? PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC are expected; next-gen consoles possible at launch. What engine is it on? Unreal Engine 5 — the first mainline Witcher game not on CDPR's REDengine. Can I preorder? Preorders have not opened; no edition tiers or pricing announced.
