The Witcher IV Likely to Release After 2026, Says CD Projekt RED

CD Projekt RED has shared new details about the release of The Witcher IV. The game, first announced last year, is now in full production. However, fans will have to wait longer than expected, as the company confirmed it will not launch before the end of 2026.

During a recent investor meeting, CD Projekt RED’s Chief Financial Officer, Piotr Nielubowicz, made it clear that The Witcher IV is still far from release. He explained that the company’s incentive program ends in December 2026, but the game will not be ready by then. This means that a release in 2027 or later is more likely.

Industry journalist Jason Schreier from Bloomberg also commented on the situation. He dismissed reports that suggested The Witcher IV could arrive in 2026, stating that both it and Naughty Dog’s The Heretic Prophet are still in early development.

CD Projekt RED began full production of The Witcher IV in late 2024. Since this is a massive project, it will take years to complete. The game is being built using Unreal Engine 5, a powerful tool for creating detailed and realistic graphics. A teaser trailer, shown last year, was powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, showcasing impressive visuals.

Another key detail from the investor call was about AI (artificial intelligence). Michał Nowakowski, co-CEO of CD Projekt RED, stated that the company is researching AI technology but will not use “generative AI” in The Witcher IV. Generative AI can create content on its own, but it raises concerns about copyright and originality. The studio prefers to rely on human creativity instead.

CD Projekt RED The Witcher IV: Release Date

With The Witcher IV still years away, fans will need to be patient. While CD Projekt RED has not given a release date, the game is expected to arrive sometime after 2026—likely in 2027 or later.