The Witcher 4 Tech Demo Showcases Unreal Engine 5 Power on PS5 at 60fps

Epic Games and CD Projekt unveiled an impressive tech demo of The Witcher 4, powered by Unreal Engine 5.

During Epic’s State of Unreal 2025 event, a technical showcase highlighted advanced technology driving the next chapter of The Witcher series. Epic clarified this was a tech demo, not the game itself, but it offers a glimpse into the visual and technical ambitions for The Witcher 4.

“Three years ago, when we introduced Unreal Engine 5, CD Projekt Red partnered with us to enhance open-world capabilities in the engine,” Epic stated. “At State of Unreal, we showcased our collaborative efforts.”

The Witcher 4 tech demo follows Ciri exploring Kovir, a new region confirmed as playable in the game. It highlights Unreal Engine 5.6’s open-world features, running on a standard PlayStation 5 at 60 frames per second with ray tracing. The demo uses the Fast Geometry Streaming Plugin for quicker open-world loading and features a market scene with 300 individually animated NPCs. It concludes with a glimpse of Lan Exeter, Kovir’s winter capital and key port city.

Epic shared this official statement:

In Valdrest’s vibrant market, Ciri navigates a scene packed with high-fidelity characters and effects like ML Deformer. The demo also introduces Nanite Foliage, delivering lush, memory-efficient foliage, set for release in Unreal Engine 5.7.

CD Projekt added this note:

Set in Kovir, a region debuting in the video game series with The Witcher 4, the demo tracks Ciri and her horse Kelpie as they traverse rugged mountains and dense forests to reach Valdrest’s bustling port.

While the tech demo teases the visual splendor of The Witcher 4, the game remains years from release, with CD Projekt targeting 2027 at the earliest.

This timeline rules out a launch this year or next, with 2027 as the earliest possible release. However, given the gaming industry’s history of delays, a 2028 debut is possible.

The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo Screenshots

Speculation about The Witcher 4 being exclusive to next-gen consoles, like a potential PlayStation 6 or Microsoft’s rumored 2027 Xbox Series X successor, has surfaced. However, this demo, running on a base PS5, suggests it will be a cross-generation title, similar to Cyberpunk 2077’s 2020 release.

The Witcher 4 kicks off a new trilogy set after The Witcher 3, with Ciri as the protagonist instead of Geralt.

In an exclusive IGN interview before The Witcher 4 reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga called Ciri “the natural choice.”

“From the books, Ciri’s story has always been central. She’s a richly layered character. After bidding farewell to Geralt, her role as protagonist feels like the logical next step,” Mitręga said.

In a January IGN interview tied to Netflix’s upcoming animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep, Geralt’s voice actor Doug Cockle endorsed CD Projekt’s shift to Ciri.

“I’m thrilled about it,” Cockle said. “Moving the saga to Ciri is a bold and exciting choice, rooted in the books’ narrative. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.”

More exclusive content on The Witcher 4 is available, including a trailer analysis and an interview with CD Projekt discussing how The Witcher 4 will avoid a launch like Cyberpunk 2077’s.