Witcher 4 switches to UE5: Not about Cyberpunk 2077
The journey of Cyberpunk 2077 was less a smooth flight and more a bumpy ride for CD Projekt Red. After years of breathless anticipation, the launch was marred by technical hiccups, prompting a flurry of post-release patches and updates aimed at smoothing the experience. Yet, amid the post-launch adjustments, the studio was making a profound shift in its technological foundation.
This move was significant because it marked the last major release from the company utilizing their proprietary REDEngine, their in-house technology. Instead, CD Projekt Red chose to pivot towards Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) for their next major project, The Witcher 4. But this technological change wasn’t just a simple swap of code; it was rooted in a deeper, more ambitious creative philosophy.
Michał Nowakowski, the joint CEO of CD Projekt Red, explained that the decision to change technology wasn’t influenced by the launch issues of Cyberpunk 2077. He argued that the engine itself was not the root of the problem. Instead, the core mission was always about creating the most convincing and immersive stories, rather than being solely focused on technological novelty.
“The dream of the company was actually never to make technology,” Nowakowski shared. “It was to create visually and technically cutting-edge games, but most importantly, to tell those stories in the most convincing and immersive way.”
The impetus for the change came from recognizing the formidable potential of new tools. When the industry saw demonstrations like The Matrix Awakens, built on Unreal Engine 5, it became clear that this new technology was the future. The leadership team understood that to achieve the necessary scope and technicalities for their grand visions, they needed to align with the most powerful tools available.
This realization led to a strategic collaboration with Epic Games, the developers behind Unreal. By partnering with them, CD Projekt Red became one of the few development teams working to forge the engine from the inside. This collaboration is already paying off, as the new technology is being utilized not only for The Witcher 4 but also for the remaster of The Witcher 3.
This inner involvement means that CD Projekt Red is uniquely positioned, alongside Epic, to understand the engine’s internal mechanics. They are actively contributing to the development of the technology, ensuring that the next generation of gaming experiences will be built on a foundation of unparalleled artistic vision and technical mastery.
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