Witcher 4 developers explain how the switch to Unreal Engine 5 will affect the game

CD Projekt Red explained how they plan to use Unreal Engine 5 when building the next saga in the next entry of their acclaimed franchise, The Witcher 4.

Not much is known about the forthcoming installment, but CDPR plans to release a landmark project in the series as it could venture into completely uncharted territory of Geralt’s story.

While the project remains mysterious, the Polish studio is ready to build the game on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5. Fans are excited to see what kind of world the developers are building for next-gen systems given the size of previous titles.

CD Projekt Red relies on the stability of Unreal Engine 5 to create Witcher 4.

CDPR CTO & Head of Production Paweł Zawodny revealed more about how the engine will help the team develop Witcher 4 in a technical overview for UE5.

The team has put the engine to the test and has high hopes for its impact on the development of what is likely to be the big world of TW4.

“It was the shift towards open-world support that drew our attention to Unreal Engine 5,” said Zawodny. The video showed how tools in the program can quickly create expansive terrains to build on later.

Additionally, the scale at which UE5 can operate allows teams to focus on fixing any issues that may arise in building a world large enough for players to freely explore.

Dive into more on why @CDPROJEKTRED has used #UE5 to create new open-world games, including a new saga for The Witcher! 😻 pic.twitter.com/IVKFKljwf7

— Unreal Engine (@UnrealEngine) April 5, 2022

“The possibilities of things that can go wrong or the scenarios that you need to consider are exponentially greater than in linear games,” said CD Projekt Red game director Jason Slama.

“To really embody that, you need a really stable environment where you’re able to make changes with a high level of confidence that it’s not going to break 1600 digits later.”

Before the switch, the company had been using various versions of its own REDengine, which has been powering its blockbuster titles since The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

Now UE5 will have a big title to show off its capabilities, while CDPR relies on Epic’s engine to ensure smooth development and eventual launch of The Witcher 4.