CD Projekt Red aims for 2028 release of The Witcher 4 with Ciri as lead character

CD Projekt Red announced it is targeting a 2028 release date for The Witcher 4. The studio describes the game as its "biggest, boldest, and most ambitious" RPG with a huge open world, intense action gameplay, and a deep story. The lead playable character will be Ciri, shifting the focus from previous entries in the series ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}.

More than 500 developers are currently working on The Witcher 4, highlighting the scale of the project. The game is expected to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X platforms, though the studio has not officially confirmed if physical discs will be produced for any platform ^{[1, 3, 4]}.

Sony announced it will stop producing physical discs for PlayStation games starting January 2028, which raised concerns among players since The Witcher 4’s release may coincide with this change. Community comments express disappointment and calls to preserve a physical disc edition, especially for PlayStation 5 users. CD Projekt Red has yet to confirm whether The Witcher 4 will have a physical release on PlayStation or other platforms ^{[5, 6, 7]}.

Before the main game's launch, the studio plans to release an expansion titled Songs of the Past for The Witcher 3 in 2027. This expansion will star Geralt and introduce new content including the realm of Letten, improved combat, enhanced traversal, upgraded monster AI, and more Gwent card game features. It is co-developed with external studio Fool’s Theory and will be showcased at Gamescom 2026 later this month. However, The Witcher 4 itself will not be shown at Gamescom ^{[1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 7]}.

The Witcher 4 marks a pivotal development for CD Projekt Red, especially after layoffs on a Witcher multiplayer spinoff project codenamed Project Siris. Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski acknowledged the wait, stating, "I know it's a bit of a wait, and you'd love to play it sooner–but let the team cook. It will be worth the wait" ^{[1, 9]}.

At Gamescom 2026, fans will get their first new look at the upcoming Songs of the Past expansion. The Witcher 4’s next major details or release date updates are expected closer to the targeted 2028 launch window.