CD Projekt RED Sets The Witcher 4 for a 2028 Release Window, Calls It 'Our Biggest, Boldest, Most Ambitious Game to Date'

CD Projekt RED has officially narrowed the release window for The Witcher 4 to 2028. Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski shared the update on August 24, 2026, ahead of Gamescom, framing the new entry as "our biggest, boldest, and most ambitious game to date" with "a deep, impactful story that we hope will stay with you for a long time."

Nowakowski was careful not to commit to a specific date. The studio is still holding 2028 as a window rather than a hard launch year, and the joint-CEO used the moment to ask fans for patience: "I know it's a bit of a wait and you'd love to play it sooner, but let the team cook. It will be worth the wait." He also hinted that Gamescom will be part of CD Projekt RED's plans "for the coming years," a signal that The Witcher 4 will likely take a more visible role at future European events even though it is not present at this week's show.

The announcement landed just over a week after CD Projekt RED officially separated its publishing arm from the developer during its investor update, restructuring the company into two independent entities. With the organisational shift out of the way, the studio appears ready to lock in a longer public window for its next major single-player RPG.

While The Witcher 4 will be absent from Cologne, CD Projekt RED is still bringing something significant. The studio will give a full look at The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past, including "a taste of its dark story" and new content, at its Gamescom booth. The expansion launches sometime in 2027 and is scheduled to receive its first trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25 at 11 AM PST. Nowakowski also teased REDstreams running from August 26 to 30, noting there may be "a surprise or two" in store for viewers.

Our Take

A 2028 window for a project this size is on the cautious side, but CD Projekt RED has earned that caution after the Cyberpunk 2077 launch. Locking the timing now, rather than repeating the long stretch of speculation that followed Cyberpunk's 2020 delay, lets the studio manage expectations and gives the new entity room to set its own release cadence. The bigger question for players is how much of Ciri's story is left to reveal before the game ships — Gamescom 2027 just became a very interesting date on the calendar.