CD Projekt Red has quietly firmed up its long-term plans for the next chapter of The Witcher, and the picture is becoming clearer just not necessarily closer. During a recent financial update, the studio confirmed that its new trilogy, starting with the project currently codenamed Polaris, is expected to roll out across a six-year period once the first game finally hits shelves.

What that actually means in practice is still a bit fuzzy, but the studio was very direct about one thing: the first entry is not releasing in 2026. That detail alone reins in some of the more optimistic fan expectations that had been circulating over the last few months.

CD Projekt Red didn’t offer a firm launch year, but the reminder fits with how the company has talked about Polaris so far. The game is still deep in development, with large parts of the team busy building out the project’s foundation in Unreal Engine 5 a major shift from the in-house engine it relied on for previous titles. The studio has suggested multiple times that the switch will slow things down initially but speed up later entries.

The six-year window is tied directly to that idea. Once Polaris is out the door and the pipeline settles, CDPR believes it can deliver the second and third games more quickly. That doesn’t mean rapid-fire yearly releases, but it does paint a picture of a more predictable schedule than the sprawling development timelines the studio is known for.

Still, the road to that point isn’t exactly short. The Witcher 3 was released nearly a decade ago, and outside of the Cyberpunk expansions, the studio has kept its cards fairly close to its chest on the specifics of its upcoming RPGs. This latest update suggests that players may be waiting until at least 2027 or later before they get their first real look at the new saga.

For now, CDPR seems intent on setting expectations early rather than scrambling to rein them in later. And while the next era of The Witcher may feel distant, the studio’s long-term commitment to expanding the series is clearer than ever.