It’s been just weeks since the studio launched its 10th anniversary celebrations for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and now we’ve gotten our first real look at the next chapter.
Shown during Unreal Fest Orlando, the demo offered the first in-depth look at The Witcher IV running on PlayStation 5 at 60 frames per second. It featured fan-favourite Ciri navigating the mountainous region of Kovir, a location never before seen in the series. Featuring forests, reactive towns, and monster encounters, the showcase highlighted what’s possible with UE5’s newest tools, and how CDPR plans to push open-world design even further.
Inside the Demo: Ciri, Kovir, and a New Witcher Saga
The tech demo confirmed what many fans hoped for: The Witcher IV puts you in control of Ciri. Set years after the events of The Witcher 3, this new saga follows her as the lead, offering a fresh perspective while continuing the series’ legacy. Watching her step through snow-covered passes with her sword drawn felt like a natural evolution for the franchise.
The demo takes place in Kovir, a region mentioned in previous games but never fully explored until now. It features a dramatic landscape with rugged mountains and dense forests that lead into the bustling port town of Valdrest. The contrast between remote wilderness and lively settlements was one of the clearest takeaways from the demo.
You follow Ciri and her horse, Kelpie, as they travel toward a new contract. You could see the focus on environmental storytelling throughout this part of the demo. Villagers interact with each other, dynamic events unfold in the streets, and the world feels alive without drawing too much attention to the details.
This is the beginning of a new chapter for The Witcher series. Seeing it in-engine made it clear CD PROJEKT RED is focused on building a world that feels grounded, responsive, and full of discovery.
Unreal Engine 5 Features Powering The Witcher IV
The tech demo wasn’t just a showcase for The Witcher IV, it also highlighted what Unreal Engine 5 can do in the hands of CD PROJEKT RED. Running at 60 frames per second on a PlayStation 5. The demo looked detailed and ran smoothly. It was one of the smoothest UE5 presentations I’ve seen yet, especially at this scale.
Several of Epic’s newest technologies were on display. Nanite Foliage handled detailed trees and plants across forests and hills without affecting performance. The Unreal Animation Framework handled realistic movement in crowded areas. MetaHuman tools, combined with Mass AI scaling, allowed for lively town scenes packed with detailed NPCs.
FastGeo Streaming helped environments load seamlessly as Ciri traveled between wilderness and city. Meanwhile, ML Deformer added subtle animation details like facial tension and muscle movement, which gave close-up moments extra weight.
The entire demo was the result of a long-standing collaboration between CDPR and Epic Games. Since their partnership began in 2022, both teams have worked to expand UE5’s open-world tools. Many of the features shown are available now as part of the Unreal Engine 5.6 update, giving other developers access to the same tech used in The Witcher IV.
How CDPR and Epic Are Shaping The Witcher IV
While the demo was impressive, CD PROJEKT RED made it clear that The Witcher IV is still a long way off. The earliest expected release window is 2027. Development is ongoing, with both CDPR and Epic Games continuing to refine the tools and systems shown during the presentation.
Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski called the demo a major milestone. “To show this early look at the work we’ve been doing using Unreal Engine running at 60 FPS on PlayStation 5 is a significant milestone, and a testament of the great cooperation between our teams.”
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney added, “CD PROJEKT RED is one of the industry’s best open-world game studios. They are the perfect partner to help us develop new world-building features.”
After seeing the demo, it’s easy to believe that statement. The Witcher universe already has strong foundations, but this partnership seems focused on scaling that world in smarter, more efficient ways. I’m looking forward to seeing how the visuals, world systems, and character interactions evolve as development continues.
What did you think of The Witcher IV tech demo? Are you excited to explore Kovir as Ciri? Let us know in the comments.
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