Esteemed Polish development studio CD Projekt Red has a number of projects in development, including a remake of the 2007 original The Witcher game. It appears to still be relatively early days for the game, but there are already some key details to know. In this post, we’re rounding up everything you need to know.
In addition to The Witcher remake, CD Projekt is working on The Witcher 4, a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, a new Witcher game codenamed Project Sirius, and a new IP codenamed Project Hadar.
When will The Witcher remake be released?
CD Projekt Red announced The Witcher remake in October 2022, and there is no word on a release date as of yet.
Preorder The Witcher remake
Preorders for The Witcher remake are not open yet, but it can be assumed that players will be able to eventually order the game from CD Projekt’s own GOG store in addition to a variety of other destinations.
The Witcher remake trailer information
As of yet, CD Projekt has not released any official trailers for The Witcher remake.
The Witcher remake platforms
CD Projekt has not announced any platforms for The Witcher remake, but PC seems to be a given, while it is expected the game will also come to console platforms.
The Witcher remake story, setting, and characters
The Witcher remake is a new version of the game “rebuilt from the ground up.” CD Projekt Red boss Adam Badowski said “going back to this place and remaking the game for the next generation of gamers to experience” feels “just as big, if not bigger” than when the studio first released the original game in 2007.
The game is based on Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel series, taking place in a medieval fantasy world and telling the story of the monster-hunter Geralt of Rivia and his travels throughout a dangerous world filled with human and fantastical enemies alike. It’s expected the remake will tell the same story.
The Witcher remake game engine
The Witcher remake is being made using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5, which is the newest version of the engine. CD Projekt has a deal in place with Epic to make more of its games using Unreal Engine 5 as well, including The Witcher 4. Previously, The Witcher series was developed using CD Projekt’s own RedEngine.
Who’s developing The Witcher remake?
CD Projekt created The Witcher series, but the studio handed off development to Fool’s Theory for the remake. CD Projekt boss Adam Badowski sung the studio’s praises, saying the team knows the source material well and understand that fans have been looking forward to a remake for some time. A number of Fool’s Theory staffers previously worked at CD Projekt on the original Witcher game. CD Projekt Red is providing “full creative supervision.”
The Witcher remake development news
A key difference between the original Witcher and the remake is that the remake will be fully open-world. Not only was the first Witcher game presented in a more linear fashion, the sequel, Assassins of Kings, was as well. These games featured large open zones players could explore. However, progressing the story past certain key points would move players to a new zone, closing off the previous area entirely. The series didn’t go fully open world until 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
According to Jakub Rokosz, who heads up the remake’s developer, Fool’s Theory, parts of The Witcher that are outdated or are “simply bad” will be removed.
Speaking to Edge (via GamesRadar), Rokosz said that “first and foremost, we need an honest, down-to-earth analysis of which parts are simply bad, outdated, and need to be remade,” but these changes will be done while “highlighting the parts that are great, should be retained, or are direct key pillars that can’t be discarded” for the remake.
Some fans have already begun predicting which elements will be sent to the chopping block. Obvious changes include the dated combat and traversal systems, while online, fans are speculating that Geralt’s infamous “Romance Cards” won’t be included in the remake either.