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[LectureMaster]

https://www.cdprojekt.com/en/wp-content/uploads-en/2025/11/transcript-q3-2025-earnings-3.pdf

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Q10: Any update you can make on the use of Unreal Engine 5 for the full production process of The Witcher 4? Do you expect next games in The Witcher trilogy can be delivered on a shorter and more predictable cadence?

Michal Nowakowski: We've been using UE5 for The Witcher 4 for almost five years now [IR comment: almost four years], and we're very happy with what we've achieved. I think you could have seen some of that with your own eyes with our tech demo reveal at Unreal Fest couple of months ago, and we're very happy with the results of that as well – we've already said that, but I'm always happy to say it again– and we're happy with how the engine is evolving through the Epic team's efforts, and how we are learning how to make it work within a huge open-world game, as TW4 is meant to be. In a way, yes, I do believe that further games should be delivered in a shorter period of time – as we had stated before, our plan still is to launch the whole trilogy within a six-year period, so yes, that would mean we would plan to have a shorter development time between TW4 and TW5, betweenTW5 and TW6 and so on.

 

[LectureMaster]

 

[Luipadre]

More like 1 game every six years

 

[salva]

 

[Fbh]

 

[LordOcidax]

 

[Sticks]

CDPR bringing back the trilogy to one gen

 

[LordOcidax]

CDPR bringing back the trilogy to one gen

 

[kazuyamishima]

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

That's certainly bold. I wasn't expecting another trilogy - I thought it was just The Witcher 4 that was planned - but I guess that's cool. But hey, if the Yakuza series can churn out 14 games a year, maybe they've got this formula figured out, too.

 

[TheRedRiders]

I want to believe you babe, but we've been through this before.

 

[HRK69]

 

[P:axMagellanic]

WWII was fought and won in that timespan. Lmao.

 

[adamsapple]

Unless they're developing two of them at the same time, me thinks this is a tall order.

 

[LordOcidax]

Unless they're developing two of them at the same time, me thinks this is a tall order.

Or probably they are going to split the game in 3 parts…

 

[lughnasadh123]

Probably the worst thing he could say. Give yourself the time the game needs to be launched in the best shape possible. If it's sooner than you think, then great! Now people are going to be disappointed if the games aren't released in that time frame and/or you'll feel pressured to meet it.

 

[Saber]

I honestly think they need to shut up. Not to be rude or anything, but talking too much can be a sign of big ego. Let your game and efforts do the talking and release when its done.

 

[Ristifer]

surejan.gif

 

[UltimaKilo]

Probably the worst thing he could say. Give yourself the time the game needs to be launched in the best shape possible. If it's sooner than you think, then great! Now people are going to be disappointed if the games aren't released in that time frame and/or you'll feel pressured to meet it.

Even if they did release that many games over such a short period of time, it will just diminish the IP. Milking your IPs is never good in the long-term.

 

[ReBurn]

they must be making them all at the same time like lotr movies or something

 

[MagiusNecros]

So accounting for Delays and bad launches they want 10 years of Ciri?

 

[xrnzaaas]

Yeah right, it's going to take them at least two years to optimize the game after it launches. I could believe if they meant the base game and 2 large expansions, similar in scale and complexity to those for The Witcher 3.

 

[realcool]

 

[Venom Snake]

In 6 years, the most they can do is get to the fifteenth patch for the first game of this trilogy.

 

[Hawk The Slayer]

Possible since the world soul saga from World of Warcraft is releasing 3 games within 6 years.

FFVII could almost do it with the three parts and while FF games are smaller. They also don't have as many people working on the game like Blizzard and CD Red.

Witcher 3 never seem to be as complex as something like Skyrim or Fallout 4 anyway since those uses Radiant A. I and actual schedule for the npc to make a living breathing world. While Witcher simply spawn a bunch of random Npcs to give the illusion that it's crowded.

Also no online mode so no need to worry about balance and online content making Witcher 4 a game that can get made faster compare to something like GTA, Elder Scrolls, and Fallout.

 

[PeteBull]

Its possible/doable if they name first w4 dlc as 2nd game in new trilogy, and 2nd dlc as third game in trilogy, hearts of stone was 20h of top quality and very enjoyable content(same area as base game tho, or rather, same map) so lets assume they make it double that, so 40, and since blood and wine was easily 50h+...

Cp2077 dlc needed almost 3 years to debut after base game launch, so this time it could be similar, aka w4 holidays 2027 xgen release, summer 2030 2nd game in trilogy(aka first dlc), still crossgen ofc, then 2032 holidays or latest 2033 spring likely next gen only 2nd dlc aka 3rd game in new witcher trilogy.

 

[EDMIX]

Cap to the highest magnitude.

This team struggled to put out Cyberpunk, delay after delay, released it incomplete and to this day, the game still lacks basic open world concepts.

Strong doubt on this timeline as this team isn't good enough to hit that deadline proven time and time again.

Focus on making a fucking complete game folks

 

[DeathtoPigeons]

I'm all for shorter development time but I'd rather they Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 a couple years later. The Witcher is a fantastic game but I feel like 1 every 2 years would wear thin.

 

[TheMan]

Don't tell me, show me.

I also guess that means no story dlc but if they can release 3 major rpgs in that time that's ok

 

[Hugare]

More like 4 years until release + 2 years of patching for Witcher 4 only

This is what catering to investors get you. And investors are dumb enough to believe that CDPR will deliver.

 

[balls of snow]

 

[BennyBlanco]

More like 1 game every six years

If we're lucky.

I'm sure using UE5 will speed things up a lot, but also make the games worse.

 

[bender]

Unless they're developing two of them at the same time, me thinks this is a tall order.

 

[Loomy]

 

[Hudo]

More interested in Cyberpunk.

 

[rm082e]

This sounds like they are making a 90 hour RPG and splitting it into three 30 hour games.

 

[March Climber]

At least 2 games within 6 years sounds possible. Maybe 3 within 7 or 8. This sounds like:

• No DLC
• Any DLC ideas will be put in the sequels
• The sequels will be like old school sequels where they may have separate teams working on them at the same time
• Might use different directors for each but share a cohesive vision
• Might use some of the same areas/assets/animations and make slight improvements to the gameplay to speed up dev time

 

[Yoboman]

They will spend 6 years fixing each of them after release

 

[lughnasadh123]

Even if they did release that many games over such a short period of time, it will just diminish the IP. Milking your IPs is never good in the long-term.

Does seem like it would lead to burnout a lot faster plus it's unlikely to get major improvements with close release dates.

 

[Lootlord]

But will we be able to finally play as Roach though?

 

[Danny22]

To give a slightly different take from others, I do think small teams (2-5 people) will be able to make a AA game by 2035 using Gen AI.

Put that in AAA, and suddenly you have got much faster times by then.

 

[EDMIX]

I'm all for shorter development time but I'd rather they Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 a couple years later. The Witcher is a fantastic game but I feel like 1 every 2 years would wear thin.

I agree, but I only want that by actual competent developers.

This team isn't even in Ubisoft area of functional features or release timelines to be entertaining any of this.

The team that struggled to have an ai drive a fucking car and shoot is now trying to convince us they can get this timeline of releases done.....let that sink in.

 

[Laptop1991]

Good, i hope they achieve this, 3 games in 6 years is great for me and a lot better than 1 Elder Scroll in 20!, i don't care if they are not that different from each other either, good plan CDPR.

 

[Donald mac Ronald]

They could just be talking about expansions via dlc. Trilogy could mean anything. No way they can make 3 AAA games in 6 years

 

[March Climber]

I agree, but I only want that by actual competent developers.

This team isn't even in Ubisoft area of functional features or release timelines to be entertaining any of this.

The team that struggled to have an ai drive a fucking car and shoot is now trying to convince us they can get this timeline of releases done.....let that sink in.

To slightly bail them out, they are going from a genre they were very inexperienced in (Open-city crime game) back to a genre they have had good experience in (Fantasy).

My biggest hope is that whatever they learned from developing Cyberpunk, they apply it to Witcher 4, specifically the combat. It was the biggest complaint about TW3.

 

[The Cockatrice]

I see CDPR is back to being full of shit again. Love all their games, but their PR/investor talks are absolute dogshit lies lmao.