New Witcher game now in pre-production, CDPR confirms

CD Projekt RED has confirmed that its new Witcher game is now in pre-production. This update comes via the Polish developer’s latest blog, in which they look back at the year so far.

Reporting on their Q1 2022 earnings, CDPR posted 216m PLN during the past quarter, more than doubling that of Q1 2021. In other words, things are looking much better for the company following its post-Cyberpunk spiral.

So, when we will see more of this new Witcher game? Pre-production means that the developers have wrapped their research phase and can now focus on building core pillars such as gameplay concepts, prototyping these systems and thinking about how these elements will eventually mesh together. If this sequel is anyway near the size of The Witcher 3 (even without its whopping expansions) then it’s going to be a very long time before we see a glimpse of footage. That’s not to say CDPR won’t be on hand with a series of teasers and lore-building videos to get fans excited for the series’ grand return.

Going back to Cyberpunk 2077, the edgy open world RPG has been performing much better this year. For those who remember, the hugely hyped game stumbled at the final hurdle when games media realised that it would launch with a slew of technical issues, many reporting that the console versions for PS4 and Xbox One were severely compromised.  It would later turn out that CDPR knew about these issues, leading to a breakdown in trust between the acclaimed Witcher developer and many of its zealous fans. Numerous updates and a PS5/Xbox Series X|S launch later, the game is in a much better place with an expansion still in the works.

Cyberpunk 2077

The Witcher 4 (or whatever CDPR decides to call it) isn’t the only new Witcher game coming. Project Golden Nekker is lining up for a potential 2022 release – another Gwent-based spin-off that has yet to make its debut, though cards from the upcoming game have been spotted. We have some bad news if you’re a console player who wants to get in on the action.

Currently, the new Witcher game is planned for release on PC and mobile only. “With consoles, we left them for a reason,” explains game director, Vladimir Tortsov, going on to say that the ever evolving nature of live services games and the need for frequent updates “was a really tough experience” for CDPR.

One final bit of Witcher news to round the week out? The Witcher 3’s next-gen upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S has been confirmed for a 2022 release.

Source: CD Projekt RED

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