CDPR Leaves The Witcher 4 Out of Gamescom 2026, But We Finally Get a Release Window
Fans were hoping for fireworks in Cologne. Instead, Michał Nowakowski is asking for patience: The Witcher 4 won’t be making an appearance this week, but the Polish studio has finally put a number on the wait.
Just hours before the kickoff of Gamescom 2026, CD Projekt Red decided to cool expectations through its co-CEO. In a video posted to social media, Michał Nowakowski reveals that The Witcher 4 is targeting a 2028 release, with over 500 developers hard at work on this new Ciri-led saga.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red
No Witcher 4 at Gamescom, but a release window at last
The message couldn’t be clearer. In a video on the franchise’s official account, Michał Nowakowski confirms The Witcher 4 won’t be shown at Gamescom this week. No trailer, no demo, no gameplay. But the co-CEO finally drops the news the community’s been waiting for: the game is targeting a 2028 release. The key word here is “targeting.” CD Projekt Red isn’t promising 2028—they’re aiming for it. That nuance matters, especially when you remember Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed three times before launching in a state that probably deserved even more time in the oven.
To our beloved fans, players, and community :As we near #gamescom in just a few days, CD PROJEKT RED Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski would like to personally invite YOU to join us there, and hear about the
— (@thewitcher) date
The game is being developed for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. But with a 2028 release, the question of a PS6 or Xbox Project Helix version is only natural—assuming those platforms even exist by then. CDPR hasn’t confirmed anything on that front. What’s certain is that Ciri, now the lead character, will take the reins of what the studio is calling its most ambitious project ever.
“Let the team cook”: why CDPR is betting everything on ambition
Nowakowski isn’t just dropping a date. He’s justifying the wait with a phrase that’s already making the rounds online: “I know it’s a long time and you’d love to play sooner, but let the team cook. It’ll be worth it.” Behind that line is a clear strategy: do not repeat the Cyberpunk 2077 disaster. The Polish studio knows its hard-won credibility—rebuilt through updates and the Phantom Liberty expansion—wouldn’t survive another catastrophic launch.
The numbers show just how massive this project is. Over 500 developers are working on The Witcher 4, which Nowakowski calls “the biggest, boldest, and most ambitious game” CDPR has ever made. Among the promises in the video:
- A vast, immersive open world rivaling The Witcher 3 in scale
- Action-packed, intense gameplay
- A deep, memorable story designed to stick with you
Big words, but only the final product will tell if they deliver. We also know that CDPR has other projects in the works, proof that the studio is now juggling multiple fronts at once.
Waiting for 2028: how CDPR plans to keep fans hooked
Even if The Witcher 4 is missing in action in Cologne, the franchise won’t be invisible. The Songs of the Past expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be unveiled tonight during Opening Night Live, complete with fresh gameplay. Set for 2027, it’ll add a new region and a brand-new story centered on Geralt of Rivia. CDPR is comparing its scope to Blood and Wine, making it much more than just another DLC.
Nowakowski also teased “one or two surprises” for Gamescom, but didn’t spill any details. Cross-platform mod support for The Witcher 3 is still in the pipeline. The studio is aiming for three Witcher game releases in six years—a pace that’s a far cry from the long silences fans once endured. With Songs of the Past in 2027 and The Witcher 4 in 2028, the roadmap is finally taking shape.
Two years is a long wait. But at this rate, The Witcher 4 might actually beat The Elder Scrolls 6 to launch—a statement about both CDPR’s ambition and Bethesda’s legendary patience. If the Polish studio delivers, this recipe will have had plenty of time to simmer to perfection.
Gamescom, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 6, The Witcher
