CD Projekt Red Switches The Witcher 4 to Unreal Engine 5

CD Projekt Red has made a major shift in how it builds its next game, The Witcher 4. The studio will abandon its proprietary REDengine and switch to Unreal Engine 5. This change matters because it signals a move away from in-house engine development toward a focus on narrative and immersion. Players can expect the studio to prioritize storytelling over maintaining complex underlying technology.

Studio prioritizes narrative focus over proprietary technology

The Witcher 4 will run on Unreal Engine 5, a platform developed by Epic Games. CD Projekt Red will also use Unreal Engine 5 for future titles beyond the next Witcher game. This partnership gives the studio unique access to the engine's internal source code. CD Projekt Red is one of the few teams outside of Epic that works directly with the engine's core systems.

The decision to switch engines was not driven by technical limitations in REDengine. The studio made this choice to align with a broader strategic identity shift. The goal is to create visually and technically cutting-edge games while focusing on convincing narratives. The switch was influenced by Epic Games' Matrix demo, which led to a deep technical partnership.

The Witcher 4 is scheduled for release in 2028. The studio is also working on a follow-up to its previous hit. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past expansion is expected in 2027. This timeline shows the studio is balancing immediate content updates with long-term platform changes.

We looked at engine transitions in gaming earlier while tracking industry shifts. CD Projekt Red will continue to tell stories in the most immersive way possible using the new tools.