Don't hold your breath for The Witcher 4. CD Projekt, the game's developer, has confirmed that the earliest release for this highly anticipated title is set for 2027. During a recent financial call, the company outlined their projections and 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 effectively rules out a launch in 2024 or even 2025, which some fans had hoped for, and positions 2027 as the soonest we might see The Witcher 4. However, given the unpredictable nature of the video game industry, there's a possibility that the release could slip into 2028.

With a 2027 release, The Witcher 4 is likely to target the next generation of consoles. Sony is reportedly developing the PlayStation 6, and Microsoft is rumored to be planning a 2027 release for the successor to the Xbox Series X, along with an Xbox handheld. This raises the question of whether The Witcher 4 will be a cross-gen title, similar to Cyberpunk 2077, which launched on both current and previous generation consoles in December 2020. If it is a cross-gen game, could it also find its way to the Nintendo Switch 2? While it seems unlikely, the success of The Witcher 3 on the original Switch suggests that anything is possible.

What we know for sure is that The Witcher 4 is the first installment in a new trilogy set after the events of The Witcher 3. This time, instead of Geralt, the protagonist will be Ciri. In an exclusive interview with IGN ahead of The Witcher 4's reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained the choice of Ciri as the lead character, stating, "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."

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 shift the focus to Ciri. "I'm really excited," he said. "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, addressing concerns from some fans who thought her appearance had changed.

The Witcher IV Game Awards Trailer Screenshots

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For more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt discussing how they plan to avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster, keep an eye on our coverage.