Today, CD Projekt Red announced that the next installment to The Witcher video game franchise is officially in development. Rather than developing the game using REDengine, the studio will be switching over to Unreal Engine 5 for the upcoming title as part of a partnership with Epic Games.
“We’re happy to announce that the next installment in The Witcher series of video games is currently in development, kicking off a new saga for the franchise,” reads today’s announcement, which features a teaser image of a medallion along with the phrase “A New Saga Begins.” The medallion depicts what looks like a lynx, signifying that the next game may follow characters from the School of the Lynx.
For the first time since 2011, CD Projekt Red is departing from their proprietary REDengine technology and will be developing the game using Unreal Engine 5. The studio will work alongside Epic Games as part of a “multi-year strategic partnership” between the two companies.
“This new relationship with Epic covers not only licensing, but technical development of Unreal Engine 5, as well as potential future versions of Unreal Engine, where relevant,” explains a news release on the CD Projekt Red website. “Developers from CD PROJEKT RED will collaborate with those from Epic with the primary goal being to help tailor the engine for open-world experiences, beginning with the development of the next game in The Witcher franchise.”
No other details were provided regarding a release date or development roadmap for the upcoming Witcher game. Considering CD Projekt Red is still working on the expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, it is unlikely we will hear any substantial updates regarding the next Witcher title any time soon. We will be sure to report on new details as they are announced, so be sure to check back for updates.