After a long silence regarding Project Polaris, commonly known as The Witcher 4, developer CD Projekt Red announced on Tuesday that the game has officially entered “full-scale production.”
In a statement made ahead of their quarterly investor call, joint CEO Michał Nowakowski shared that the eagerly awaited title is now in its “most intensive phase of development.”
“We are thrilled with the progress we are making on this project and I want to express my gratitude to the team for their commitment,” Nowakowski expressed.
Game director Sebastian Kalemba confirmed the news via X, posting an image of Witcher coins that hint at the ongoing adventures fans can expect. “With exciting challenges on the horizon, it’s the hard work and talent of our team that instills the confidence in me that we can craft an exceptional experience with the upcoming Witcher Saga,” he stated.
CD Projekt Red first announced Project Polaris was in pre-production back in 2022, sharing a teaser that featured a wolf pendant – a signature symbol for Geralt of Rivia – nestled in the snow with the tagline “A new saga begins.” Since then, updates have been limited; however, it has been confirmed that this project is the beginning of a new trilogy of AAA RPGs, all powered by Unreal Engine 5. During a financial presentation, Nowakowski noted that the game will not merely be “The Witcher 3 with a fresh coat of paint,” indicating substantial gameplay innovation.
Currently, Polaris stands as CD Projekt Red’s most significant undertaking. As of November, 400 out of 650 developers are dedicated to this project, while the next largest endeavor is Orion.
With the transition to Unreal Engine 5, it’s anticipated that development may take longer, with some estimates suggesting it could take at least three years before release.
It’s important to mention that there’s still some ambiguity surrounding the title The Witcher 4. Although often used interchangeably with Polaris, global PR director Radek Grabowski pointed out on X that there was no formal announcement of a game titled The Witcher 4 when Polaris was first revealed.
Additionally, other Witcher-related games are also in production, such as Canis Majoris, which will be independent from the new series, alongside Sirius, developed by Molasses Flood, set within the Witcher universe. This diversified approach aligns with the tremendous success of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is among the highest-selling games ever.
In other updates shared during the financial presentation, CD Projekt Red revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has surpassed 30 million in sales, with its Phantom Liberty DLC generating over 8 million sales since its release last year.
