Witcher 4 release date teased by developer CD Projekt

When will Polaris, aka The Witcher 4, release onto the market? There's no launch date just yet, but CD Projekt has delivered some clues on when we can expect to jump back into the monster-ridden fantasy world.

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No one knows exactly when the next Witcher game will launch--not even CD Projekt RED. The studio certainly has some sort of internal target, but AAA game development is not a linear and perfect process, and delays are always possible. Even still, CDPR is starting to ramp up work on Polaris with 410 developers attached to the new Witcher RPG, and company management has given a bit of a clue on when we could see the game release.

In a recent Q&A with investors, CD Projekt executives revealed an interesting tidbit about pre-order policies for the PlayStation and Xbox digital storefronts that also gives somewhat of a clue or a hint on The Witcher 4's release.

Q: Can you please comment on when you will be able to update the market with the hard release date of the next game, or perhaps what milestone you need to see to be in the position to set the release date?

A: We will update the market on the release date when we will be kicking off the pre-orders. That's obviously the answer. There's no more magic to it. I can probably narrow it down because, for example, the console digital storefronts allow you to start the pre-orders no longer than 1 year [before] the launch date. So that gives you an idea.

When it comes to milestones and so on, we don't really comment on that specifically.

• Read Also: Witcher 4 updates: 'We know Geralt will be a part of the game,' voice actor says

So once Polaris opens pre-orders, CD Projekt has to launch the game at least one year from that period.

Another question yields more info about Polaris. CD Projekt may be able to launch the new Witcher game in a 4-5 year span, as is typical for the company's production-to-release schedule. It all depends on when Polaris first entered R&D and pre-production; we could see The Witcher 4 sometime in 2026 or even 2027 depending on when the game had been in the initial planning phases.

Q: Once a AAA game enters the production phase, how long does it usually take to be ready to launch? Is there any reason why Polaris will take a shorter or longer amount of time?

A: The answer to that question really differs from game to game, in general, and I'm talking in general because there are AAA games that are maybe made around 3 years, and there are games that have been in production for a very long time.

Historically, for us, we've been launching our games from the moment we start to the moment we launch, in about 4-5 years.

Is there any reason why Polaris will take a longer or shorter amount of time?

Nothing that would really come to mind. It's got every tool possible at its disposal to progress the regular path.