The Witcher 4 Targets 2028 as CD Projekt Red Maps Out Ciri’s New Saga and The Witcher 3’s Return

CD Projekt Red’s Gamescom update was less a full reveal of The Witcher 4 than a roadmap for the franchise. The headline is a 2028 target for the next mainline game, with Ciri taking over as protagonist in a new saga powered by Unreal Engine 5. The studio also confirmed that The Witcher 4 itself will not be shown at Gamescom 2026. 24

The Witcher 4 is targeting 2028—but there is no firm date yet

Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski described 2028 as the current target release window for The Witcher 4. That wording matters: CD Projekt Red has not committed to a specific month, quarter, or day, so 2028 should be treated as a development target rather than a guaranteed launch date. 23

The game is planned as the beginning of a new Witcher saga, with Ciri as the playable lead. CD Projekt Red’s project description places her at the center of a single-player open-world role-playing game set in a brutal dark-fantasy world and confirms that the project is being developed in-house with Unreal Engine 5. 36

Reports citing the company’s announcement say that more than 500 developers are working on the game. That figure indicates the scale of the project, but staffing levels and production plans can change during development. 13

What will be shown at Gamescom?

Despite the 2028 update, The Witcher 4 is not part of CD Projekt Red’s Gamescom 2026 presentation. Instead, the event is focused on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past, including a look at its story and new content. 24

That makes Gamescom’s role clearer: fans receive a release-window update for the long-term sequel, while the immediately playable part of the franchise remains The Witcher 3 and its upcoming expansion.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered launches September 29

CD Projekt Red announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered for September 29, 2026. It will be available as a free upgrade for existing owners on qualifying platforms, alongside a native Nintendo Switch 2 version. 17

The remaster is designed as more than a visual refresh. Announced improvements include:

• Updated visuals and performance
• Enhanced combat, including new finisher animations
• More effects for Witcher Signs
• Improved movement and traversal, including revised mantling and climbing
• Updated monster behaviour
• A revised skill tree
• Transmog options for changing equipment appearance
• An expanded Photo Mode

These changes target both presentation and moment-to-moment play, giving returning players reasons to revisit the open-world RPG rather than simply replaying the same edition at a higher resolution. 717

Existing owners also get the expansions at no extra cost

The announcement also covers The Witcher 3’s two existing story expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. The supplied reporting says they become available at no extra cost to current owners from August 25. 2

Songs of the Past brings Geralt back in 2027

Before Ciri’s new saga begins, Geralt of Rivia returns in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past. CD Projekt Red announced the expansion as a 2027 release and is co-developing it with Fool’s Theory. The original announcement lists PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S; Gamescom coverage also identifies a Switch 2 version. 51726

The expansion takes Geralt to Letten, described by CD Projekt Red as a new realm shaped by rural tradition and hiding a dark secret beneath its idyllic surface. The project is intended to add a new adventure, enemies, abilities, and a chain weapon to Geralt’s arsenal. 17

CD Projekt Red has presented Songs of the Past as another Geralt adventure ahead of the franchise’s next expansion. However, the available official material does not establish that it is definitively Geralt’s final outing, nor does it confirm that the expansion serves as a narrative bridge to The Witcher 4. Those claims should remain speculation until the studio states them directly. 17

The practical takeaway for Witcher fans

The Gamescom announcements divide the franchise into three clear timelines:

1. August 25, 2026: Existing owners gain access to Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine at no extra cost, according to the supplied reporting. 2
2. September 29, 2026: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered arrives as a free upgrade for qualifying owners, with a Switch 2 version also planned. 17
3. 2027 and 2028: Geralt returns in Songs of the Past in 2027, followed by the current 2028 target for Ciri’s The Witcher 4. 217

The most important caveat is that only the 2026 remaster has a specific announced launch date. Songs of the Past has a 2027 window, while The Witcher 4 has a 2028 target. CD Projekt Red’s roadmap is substantial, but its later milestones remain subject to change.