CDPR Confirms Demo Footage Is Not from The Witcher 4 Gameplay; Ciri’s Design Remains Unchanged

Exciting Developments for The Witcher Fans at the State of Unreal

Yesterday marked a pivotal moment for The Witcher enthusiasts as CD Projekt RED showcased an engaging presentation during the State of Unreal event in Orlando, Florida. With the franchise recent milestone of its tenth anniversary, fans eagerly anticipated this glimpse into the future of their beloved series.

CD Projekt RED took this opportunity to present a tech demo, a sneak peek into the innovative technology that will underpin The Witcher 4. However, it’s essential to note that this demonstration, while impressive, should not be mistaken for actual gameplay of The Witcher 4. According to a spokesperson from CD Projekt RED, the demo highlights the strategic partnership with Epic Games aimed at revolutionizing open-world game design.

This is a tech demo, and a first look at the cutting-edge technology powering The Witcher 4 – but not The Witcher 4 itself. It showcases the powerful foundation we’re building in close collaboration with Epic Games to push open-world design further than ever before and the core systems and features we’re developing using Unreal Engine 5. We’re really proud of this early milestone and excited to give you a sneak peek at some of the cool tech, like UAF, Nanite Foliage, Smart Objects, ML Deformer, and FastGeo Streaming, that are helping shape the future of The Witcher.

This announcement aligns with CD Projekt RED’s previous confirmation that The Witcher 4 is not expected to launch before 2027, indicating that fans will have to wait a bit longer for actual gameplay. While this may be disappointing, the advancements showcased serve as a reminder of the studio’s commitment to innovation and quality.

In 2022, CD Projekt RED declared its transition from the proprietary RED Engine to the powerful Unreal Engine 5 framework. This shift aims not just to enhance their upcoming title but also to elevate the overall landscape of open-world game development for other creators in the industry. The demo, impressively recorded on a base PlayStation 5, achieved an astonishing 60 frames per second with ray tracing, underscoring the capabilities of the new engine.

Ciri’s New Look: Clarifications from CD Projekt RED

Interestingly, some viewers noted that Ciri’s appearance in the tech demo differed slightly from her portrayal in the previous trailer presented during The Game Awards 2024. To address these observations, a CD Projekt RED representative provided insights regarding Ciri’s character model.

It’s the same character model used in the 2024 trailer. Ciri’s face is a direct copy of The Witcher 3 model, adapted to work with the latest MetaHuman technology. Two subtle changes were made to improve animation quality: slightly raised eyebrows, and a more relaxed eye area—the latter was present in the trailer but has since been removed.

Unreal Engine 5.6 Launches with New Features

During the State of Unreal presentation, Epic Games also revealed the public release of Unreal Engine 5.6, packed with features designed to empower developers and enhance their creative processes. As both CD Projekt RED and Epic Games push the boundaries of technology, fans can look forward to an exhilarating evolution in the world of gaming.

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