The next Witcher game will not be exclusive to the Epic Games Store
Published: 21st March 2022 | Source: CD Projekt Rec | Author: Mark Campbell
CD Projekt Red has entered into a technology partnership with Epic Games to create a new Witcher game
CD Projekt Red has today confirmed that they are working on a new game within the The Witcher series, and that the game will be developed using Unreal Engine 5, not CD Projekt Red's REDengine.
To create their new The Witcher game, CD Projekt Red has created a new technology partnership with Epic Games, the creators of Unreal Engine 5. This partnership if deeper than a standard Unreal Engine 5 licensing deal, allowing CD Projekt Red to access the cutting-edge development tools of Unreal Engine 5 while also allowing the studio to have technical direction over their future projects. Epic Games and CD Projekt Red will collaborate to help tailor Unreal Engine 5, and future versions of Unreal Engine, for AAA open-world experiences.
CD Project Red has confirmed that they plan to continue working with the studio's REDengine to create DLC and expansion content for Cyberpunk 2077.
Regarding the studio's new The Witcher game, CD Projekt Red has revealed relatively little about the title. The teaser image below shows a Witcher medallion and the words "A New Saga Begins", suggesting that the game will be the start of a new story. CD Projekt Red has not revealed any development timeframe or release date for their new The Witcher series game.
Is this move to Unreal Engine 5 a good thing or a bad thing for the games industry?
CD Projekt Red's REDengine has the potential to deliver top-tier visuals. On high-end PCs, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 look phenomenal. That said, the issues surrounding Cyberpunk 2077 are well documented, and REDengine is undoubtedly part of the formula that lead to Cyberpunk 2077's messy launch.
Moving to Unreal Engine 5 will allow CD Projekt Red to work with some of the world's best game development tools, and their partnership with Epic Games will allow them to do so while tailoring Unreal Engine 5 to suit their needs. In effect, CD Projekt Red can access the benefits of a widely used and well supported engine, while not having to do everything in-house. As impressive as REDengine is, the technology behind it is undoubtedly difficult to rework, update, and enhance with every new game release. Moving to Unreal Engine 5 gives CD Projekt Red a much simpler existence, and while it may be sad to see REDengine shelved after Cyberpunk 2077 receives its expansions, the move to Unreal Engine should be a positive one for CD Projekt Red.
Outside of CD Projekt Red there are few developers that are in any way familiar with REDengine. By comparison, Unreal Engine 4 and 5 are so commonly used that almost all game developers are familiar with it. That detail alone is good news for CD Projekt Red, especially as the company takes on new staff during the development of their new The Witcher series game.
You can join the discussion on CD Projekt Red's Unreal Engine powered The Witcher game on the OC3D Forums .