Could The Witcher 4 Be Targeting the PS6 and Next-Gen Xbox, Given It Won't Be Out Until 2027 at the Earliest?

Don't hold your breath for The Witcher 4. According to developers at CD Projekt, the game won't be released until 2027 at the earliest. In a recent financial call discussing future profit projections, CD Projekt stated: "Even though we do not plan to release The Witcher 4 by the end of 2026, we are still driven by this financial goal. And although it’s very ambitious, we stand a chance of achieving it within the given timeframe."

This statement rules out any possibility of a launch in 2024, which some had hoped for, and sets 2027 as the soonest we can expect to see The Witcher 4. However, considering the unpredictable nature of the video game industry, it's not out of the question that the game might slip into 2028.

With a release date of 2027 at the earliest, The Witcher 4 is likely to target the next generation of consoles. Sony is reportedly working on plans for the PlayStation 6, and Microsoft is rumored to be aiming for a 2027 release of its Xbox Series X successor, alongside an Xbox handheld. The question remains whether The Witcher 4 will be a cross-gen title, similar to Cyberpunk 2077, which launched in December 2020. If so, could it also be available on the speculated Nintendo Switch 2? While it seems unlikely, The Witcher 3's presence on the original Switch shows that surprises can happen.

The Witcher 4 marks the beginning of a new trilogy set after the events of The Witcher 3, with Ciri stepping into the spotlight as the protagonist, rather than Geralt. In an exclusive interview with IGN before the game's reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained the choice of Ciri as the lead: "It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She's an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her."

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In January, during an interview with IGN about Netflix's upcoming animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep, Geralt's voice actor Doug Cockle expressed his support for CD Projekt's decision to focus on Ciri: "I'm really excited. I think it's a really good move. I mean, I always thought that continuing the Saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done."

In February, the director of The Witcher 4 clarified that a new video featured the same in-game model of Ciri, dispelling rumors about changes to her appearance.

For more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, check out our trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt, where the developer explains why The Witcher 4 will avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster.