The Witcher 4 tech demo gave us a breathtaking glimpse of CD Projekt's vision—though they stress it remains purely a technical showcase. As IGN clarified, this isn't actual gameplay footage. Yet witnessing this Unreal Engine 5 preview set in The Witcher's universe inevitably sparks speculation about the final product, still years away from launch.
Running at 60fps on PlayStation 5, the demo follows Ciri through Kovir—a brand-new explorable region in The Witcher 4—where she undertakes a monster-hunting contract. The attention to detail is staggering, with animation fluidity surpassing current console standards. Ciri and her steed Kelpie move with remarkable realism, interacting seamlessly with NPCs and environments as they traverse Kovir's mountains toward the vibrant port town of Valdrest. One standout moment features a marketplace bustling with 300 individually animated characters. The presentation concludes with our first glimpse of Lan Exeter, Kovir's winter capital and major coastal hub.
CD Projekt understands the risks of overpromising, having learned harsh lessons from Cyberpunk 2077's troubled 2020 launch. This history begs the pressing question: Does this tech demo accurately represent The Witcher 4's final visuals?
When we posed this to Kajetan Kapuściński, CD Projekt's Cinematic Director, during Epic's State of Unreal 2025 event, his response—while measured—hinted at the studio's aspirations: "The demo showcases our ambition." Here's his full statement:
"What you've seen is a collaborative Unreal Engine 5 tech demo developed with Epic. It demonstrates the foundational technology powering The Witcher 4, though it isn't direct gameplay. This represents our cutting-edge technical achievements, artistic vision, and developmental approach—but everything remains subject to change. We wanted to share this progress publicly while continuing to refine these tools for the actual game."
We also asked Epic's Wyeth Johnson whether the demo's 60fps ray-traced performance on base PS5 reflects achievable in-game results. "Absolutely," he affirmed. "Players demand smooth 60fps experiences across all hardware. Collaborating with CD Projekt accelerated breakthroughs in delivering high-fidelity performance."
Maintaining such performance in an expansive open-world game would surpass current console expectations. Johnson emphasized that modern hardware still holds untapped potential: "By implementing parallel processing and optimizing bottlenecks, we've achieved 2-10x performance gains while preserving visual quality. These advancements now form Unreal Engine's core capabilities for developers like CD Projekt Red."
The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo Screenshots
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While Kapuściński remained guarded about specifics, he hinted at technological breakthroughs: "Analyze the demo carefully—Nanite foliage enables vast, dense forests, while our animation framework manages crowds exceeding 300 NPCs. These elements reveal our creative direction."
The tech demo's PS5 presentation suggests cross-gen development, potentially including Xbox Series S—though CD Projekt confirms The Witcher 4 won't release before 2027. Given Rockstar's plans to launch GTA VI on current-gen systems, including Series S, similar technical achievements may await The Witcher franchise's next chapter.
CD Projekt confirms The Witcher 4 won't release until 2027 at the earliest, meaning answers may take time to materialize.
