The press release clearly shows that the Polish producer of computer games is working hard on the next installment of The Witcher series, but this is not one and only news!
As for the title itself, they didn’t reveal much in their statement :
We are excited to announce news about the next installment in the Witcher series. It is under development and it will be a real kick and opening for the new franchise saga.
The last part, or Wild Hunt , appeared in 2015 and was sought after in the country and in the world. Fans also got two additions – Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
But this is not the end of interesting news from the manufacturer. The latest part will get a new heart, i.e. the engine on which it will be based. They confirmed that the Unreal Engine 5 technology that was used for Cyberpunk 2077 will be used in the latest part:
We are excited as we are moving from REDengine to Unreal Engine 5 and with this step we start our multi-year partnership strategy with Epic Games. It includes not only the licensing, but also the technical development of Unreal Engine 5 and access to potential future versions. This is a significant step for us. We work closely with Epic Games on major goals to help tailor the engine for the best open world experience possible.
The contract is very significant because CD Projekt has the right not only to create and publish games now, but also to new versions of the engine. It was concluded for fifteen years, but will be renewable, there is no limit to the games based on the engine. Epic Game is to actively support the Polish game producer.
Regarding the use of Unreal Engine 5 for this and future games, CD Projekt RED Technology Director Paweł Zawodny made a statement:
One of the most important aspects we think about in terms of the internal RED 2.0 Transformation is the stronger focus on technology and our collaboration with Epic Games. This is our main goal. We did not consider a typical license, we saw on both sides an opportunity for long-term cooperation, to fulfill the technological dream of cooperation. For CD Projekt RED, technical support for the next game is important. We have spent a lot of resources and energy in the past to develop and adapt REDengine in future releases. We are very excited about this collaboration as it will develop progress in terms of predictability and efficiency. At the same time, we get access to innovative tools. I can’t wait to see these great games we’ll be building with Unreal Engine 5.
Tim Sweeney, Epic Games founder and CEO added:
Epic created Unreal Engine 5 to help teams create a dynamic and open world that is unpredictable. We feel honored to work with CD Projekt RED to be able to push the boundaries of an interactive story and play together. The effort and benefits will add value to the community for years to come.