What did CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski confirm about the physical release of The Witcher 4, which is targeting 2028, despite Sony’s planned halt to PlayStation disc production that year; why might the game’s box contain no disc, what collectible “feelies” and extras

CD Projekt Red’s Michał Nowakowski confirmed that The Witcher 4 will still receive a boxed, collector-oriented physical edition when it targets 2028—even if that box ultimately contains no PlayStation disc. The promise is for tangible collectibles, not yet for an on-disc game. 56

What CD Projekt Red committed to

• CDPR intends to make a substantial physical offering, with a box and “feelies”—tangible extras for collectors—because the studio values physical items. Specific contents have not been announced, so claims of particular statues, maps, or other new Witcher 4 items would be premature. 56

• A PlayStation disc may be impossible because Sony plans to stop releasing new PlayStation games on discs from January 2028; retail copies may instead include download codes. Nowakowski said CDPR does not control first-party platform policy or PlayStation’s disc-manufacturing arrangements. 17

Why this fits CDPR’s history

• The stance is consistent with CDPR’s older retail releases, which treated even standard physical editions as collector packages: The Witcher 3’s announced standard box included a soundtrack CD, stickers, a world map, a Witcher-universe compendium, and a game manual. 64

• Cyberpunk 2077 likewise used physical presentation as part of its appeal, with retail extras such as a world compendium, Night City postcards, a map, and stickers alongside the game. That precedent makes a disc-less but merchandise-heavy Witcher 4 box plausible—though it would not provide the preservation, resale, lending, or offline-installation benefits of an actual disc. 6

Why the announcement matters—and what remains uncertain

• It lands amid significant resistance to the industry’s move away from physical media. Sony’s 2028 policy has drawn anger from enthusiasts, even as some major publishers have indicated that their predominantly digital businesses will be little affected. 13

• GTA 6 has intensified that debate: its “physical” retail package is planned to contain a download code rather than a disc, illustrating why many players see a box-only release as materially different from ownership of a playable copy. 24

• The broader concern is that a downloadable licence depends on storefronts, platform policies, account access, and servers; a collector’s box preserves memorabilia, but not necessarily a permanent, self-contained copy of the game.

• Reports and fan discussion have linked the issue to the possibility that Microsoft could follow a comparable all-digital strategy, but the supplied evidence does not substantiate a Microsoft decision. Likewise, it does not establish specific Gamescom backlash, consumer-polling results on permanent ownership, or a confirmed disc plan for Xbox or PC. Insufficient evidence.

• The provided material indicates CDPR is also revisiting The Witcher 3 and developing further Witcher projects, including the reported Songs of the Past expansion, but it does not provide enough reliable detail to confirm the remaster’s scope, the expansion’s precise content or date, or the complete franchise slate. 6

So the significance is symbolic as well as commercial: CDPR is committing to preserve the collectible, giftable ritual of a physical edition while acknowledging that, on PlayStation at least, the essential medium—the game disc—may be outside its control. Whether The Witcher 4 ships with a disc on any platform, what the box will contain, and whether Sony’s plan changes before 2028 remain unresolved. 57