The Witcher 4 Ditches REDengine for UE5: CDPR Promises Soul Intact
CD Projekt RED co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has detailed the reasoning behind The Witcher 4’s move away from the studio’s proprietary REDengine in favor of Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). In a recent interview, Nowakowski explained that each previous new title required rewriting the core toolchain from scratch, a process that severely slowed development. To reach the ambitious goal of delivering three mainline Witcher games within six years, improving development efficiency has become a top priority. Nowakowski’s comments offer the clearest picture yet of why the studio is making the switch.
During preliminary research, management’s biggest concern was whether adopting a third-party engine would dilute The Witcher series’ signature visual style. Nowakowski conceded that in the early R&D phase, UE5 did not fully meet CDPR’s high standards for cinematic atmosphere in certain areas. To address this, the studio forged close technical cooperation with engine developer Epic, deeply customizing Unreal Engine 5 to suit the needs of a large-scale open-world RPG. The collaboration was aimed at ensuring the new engine could support the franchise’s production ambitions without compromising its established approach.
Nowakowski made a firm promise to fans that The Witcher 4 will not become another mediocre game that looks the same as everything else on the market. He emphasized that the underlying technology will recede into the background, and what players ultimately experience will remain CDPR’s hallmark artistic style and immersive presentation. The statement appears intended to reassure those concerned that a widely used third-party engine could erase the franchise’s distinctive atmosphere. With the series known for its dark, cinematic fantasy world, that assurance carries real weight for its audience.
The Witcher 4 is expected to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms in 2028. CDPR has not revealed further details about gameplay or story in this interview. The engine migration lays the technical groundwork for the studio’s stated plan of releasing three mainline Witcher titles within six years. Whether UE5 can faithfully preserve the cinematic feel fans associate with the franchise remains to be seen, but CDPR’s promise to keep its artistic soul front and center is certainly one to watch as development progresses.
