We finally saw The Witcher 4 or at least, we thought we did. At the recent State of Unreal 2025 showcase, CD Projekt Red took the spotlight with a jaw-dropping look at what appeared to be our first glimpse of Geralt’s next-gen successor. The footage featured The Witcher 3’s Ciri exploring a lush, atmospheric woodland rendered in glorious detail. But shortly after the event ended, CDPR clarified what many of us suspected: this wasn’t gameplay. It wasn’t even from the actual game.
Instead, what we got was a technical demo built in Unreal Engine 5.6, designed to show off what the engine and by extension, CD Projekt Red’s future games are capable of. While it used The Witcher universe and gave fans a taste of the direction Polaris might go, it wasn’t pulled from a working build of The Witcher 4.
And that’s important to remember. Because while it’s easy to get caught up in the visuals, this isn’t a true “reveal.” It’s a tech flex and a really good one at that.
So, What Was Shown?
The tech demo ran in real time on PlayStation 5 hardware, and it was stunning. Ciri strolled through thick forests alive with detail: dense foliage fluttered in the breeze, light bounced naturally off wet stone, and distant ruins faded beautifully into the fog. Everything looked alive. Powered by Nanite geometry, Lumen lighting, and all the bells and whistles of UE5.6, it’s arguably one of the most impressive pieces of next-gen tech we’ve seen to date.
It wasn’t just pretty either CDPR showed off seamless transitions between cutscenes and gameplay, dynamic weather effects, and hints at more complex crowd behaviour and interactivity, all running at a stable 60 FPS. That’s a massive leap from The Witcher 3’s original console launch.
But again this wasn’t real gameplay. It was essentially a playable concept. The tools are real, the possibilities are real, but nothing shown is necessarily coming to the final game.
What Does This Mean for The Witcher 4?
Internally codenamed Polaris, The Witcher 4 is still years away rumoured to launch no earlier than 2027. It’s the first entry in a planned new trilogy that CD Projekt Red is building entirely in Unreal Engine 5, abandoning their own REDengine in favour of something more scalable (and more stable, if Cyberpunk 2077’s launch taught us anything).
According to official statements, Polaris will feature Ciri in a lead role and be set in the northern kingdom of Kovir, a region not previously explored in the games. One confirmed location is Valdrest, a large port city expected to serve as a hub for exploration and political storytelling.
So, while the demo doesn’t confirm mechanics, story beats, or final visuals, it does hint at the tone and scope the devs are aiming for. The Witcher 4 isn’t just going to be a prettier Witcher 3 it’s being built with entirely new tech and a new storytelling focus.
Why Show a Demo Like This?
From a developer’s standpoint, using The Witcher brand to show off Unreal Engine 5.6 is genius. Everyone tunes in when Ciri’s on screen. Everyone cares. It guarantees headlines, YouTube breakdowns, and Twitter discourse for days. It also sets a visual benchmark not just for CDPR, but for other studios eyeing UE5 for their next big projects.
But there’s a double edge here. Fans thought they were seeing the game. And in an age of rapid news cycles and viral video clips, that initial impression is hard to walk back. CD Projekt Red made sure to include a disclaimer but let’s be honest, not everyone reads the fine print.
Our Take
At 1-Up Games, we’re always going to be a little cautious when it comes to The Witcher. We love the series, but after the rocky launch of Cyberpunk 2077, CDPR still has something to prove. That said, this demo even as a purely technical showcase was a statement.
The studio is clearly aiming big. They’re embracing next-gen tech in a way that feels meaningful, not just flashy. And if even half of what we saw in this demo makes it into The Witcher 4, we’re looking at something truly special.
Just don’t call it gameplay. Not yet.
1-Up Games 
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