CD Projekt Red ensures Witcher 4 runs on all target platforms after Cyberpunk 2077

The decision marks a departure from how Cyberpunk 2077 was developed. Nowakowski noted that the earlier title was primarily driven by PC capabilities, with the studio aiming for the best possible visuals and cinematic feeling. This led to a "false belief" that adapting the game to current-generation consoles would not be a major challenge. The disastrous launch and subsequent removal of Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store served as a harsh wake-up call.

"You come to the studio, you launch Witcher 4 right now," Nowakowski stated. "You can launch it on PC. You can launch it on PS5. You can launch it on Xbox Series X, and it's going to run." This multi-platform readiness is now a core requirement, contrasting sharply with the past mindset of pushing boundaries solely for high-end rigs.

The studio has also learned from its experience with The Witcher 3. While they were fortunate enough to manage challenges there, Nowakowski admitted that luck played a role. "Since then, we don't take chances," he said. The new milestone process is stricter; if the game fails on a single platform, development stops until every issue is resolved. Missing even one or two technical checkmarks in the past was sometimes overlooked, but now such oversights are unacceptable.

Regarding the engine, Nowakowski clarified that the Red Engine used for Cyberpunk 2077 is not identical to the version used for The Witcher 3. Revisiting and refining this technology presents its own set of challenges. To assist with this, CD Projekt Red has partnered with Geeksoft, a Hungarian company known for its deep knowledge of the engine and its roots in the modding community. Geeksoft previously helped release modding tools for The Witcher 3, making them a logical choice to support the studio's return to that world.

While details on the mysterious Project Hadar remain scarce, Nowakowski hinted that more information might be shared within the next five years. For now, the focus remains firmly on delivering a stable and polished experience for The Witcher 3's upcoming expansion and remaster, as well as the highly anticipated fourth installment.

This strategic pivot underscores CD Projekt Red's commitment to quality assurance across all platforms, ensuring that future titles will not suffer from the same platform-specific issues that plagued their previous releases. The studio is prioritizing reliability over risky visual experiments during development, a lesson etched into their workflow by the Cyberpunk 2077 experience.