CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has reaffirmed its ambitious roadmap for the Witcher franchise: a brand-new trilogy centered on Ciri, set to launch entirely within six years. The announcement came during the studio’s Q3 2025 earnings call, where co-CEO Michal Nowakowski doubled down on the radical timeline first revealed in 2022, emphasizing that progress with Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) has put the plan firmly on track.
Core Trilogy Vision: Ciri Takes the Lead
The upcoming trilogy marks a defining shift for the series, with Ciri—Geralt of Rivia’s adopted daughter and the Child of Surprise—stepping into the protagonist role as a middle-aged warrior. Nowakowski confirmed the narrative will draw partial inspiration from Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher novel Crossroads of Twists and Turns, expanding on her destiny as a reality-hopping wielder of elder blood. The first installment, codenamed “Polaris,” serves as the trilogy’s foundation, with its development laying the groundwork for faster production cycles in The Witcher 5 and The Witcher 6.
Development Progress & Timeline Strategy
After nearly four years of UE5 development, The Witcher 4 has entered full production, with approximately 450 developers dedicated to the project—making it CDPR’s largest ongoing single-game team. Crucially, the studio has ruled out a 2026 release, with industry analysts projecting a late 2027 launch window for the first entry. The six-year trilogy goal hinges on a “shrinking cycle” model: while The Witcher 4 has taken years to build UE5 pipelines, sequels will leverage reused assets, streamlined workflows, and established engine mastery to cut development time significantly.
Nowakowski emphasized this efficiency drive during the earnings call: “We’re confident subsequent titles can be delivered faster. The six-year plan remains intact because we’ll shorten the gaps between Witcher 4, 5, and 6—this is only possible thanks to the groundwork we’re laying with UE5 on the first game.” This approach aligns with CDPR’s post-Cyberpunk 2077 reform, prioritizing longer pre-production phases to avoid crunch and ensure predictable timelines.
Unreal Engine 5: The Trilogy’s Technical Backbone
UE5 has emerged as the linchpin of CDPR’s efficiency goals. The studio showcased a technical demo at Unreal Fest 2025, highlighting the engine’s ability to render vast, detailed open worlds—critical for the Witcher franchise’s signature exploration. Nowakowski praised Epic Games’ ongoing support, noting that CDPR’s team has “mastered leveraging UE5’s strengths for large-scale RPGs,” including dynamic global illumination, nanite geometry, and fluid simulation systems. These technical advancements not only enhance visual fidelity but also streamline asset creation, directly contributing to shorter sequel cycles.
Key Updates: TGA 2025 Absence & Parallel Projects
In a disappointment for fans, CDPR confirmed The Witcher 4 will not appear at The Game Awards 2025, despite being nominated for “Most Anticipated Game”. Nowakowski explained the studio is prioritizing development over marketing, with no new trailers or gameplay footage ready for the event—following a similar strategy to its 2025 Unreal Fest demo reveal.
Beyond the trilogy, CDPR is balancing multiple projects to avoid overextending resources. The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel (codenamed “Orion”) is targeted for a 2028 release, potentially slotting between The Witcher 4 and 5. Meanwhile, the multiplayer spin-off Project Sirius continues development after a 2023 reboot, and The Witcher 1 Remake (helmed by external studio Fool’s Theory) remains in early concept stages.
What This Means for Fans
The six-year trilogy commitment signals CDPR’s long-term investment in the Witcher universe, with Ciri’s journey set to define the franchise for over a decade. While the wait for The Witcher 4 extends into 2027, the promise of shorter sequel cycles suggests fans won’t face another decade-long gap between major entries. For now, the technical demo and UE5 progress offer reassurance that the studio is prioritizing quality over speed, even as it chases its ambitious roadmap.
As CDPR ramps up production, fans can expect further updates in 2026—likely focused on gameplay reveals and more precise release windows. For now, the trilogy’s core vision is clear: a UE5-powered epic starring Ciri, built to deliver consistent, high-quality entries at an unprecedented pace for the studio.