State of Unreal 2025: The Witcher 4 previewed with Unreal Engine 5 graphics

CD Projekt RED showcases a tech demo of The Witcher 4 built in Unreal Engine 5, offering a glimpse at its stunning visuals, seamless transitions, and next-gen in-game interactions

Polish game developer CD Projekt RED has offered the first look at the gameplay of its upcoming title The Witcher 4 during the State of Unreal 2025 event. While the company clarified that the presentation wasn’t actual gameplay footage, the technical demo provides a strong glimpse into the visual fidelity and systems the studio is building with Unreal Engine 5.

 

On its official website, CD Projekt RED said: “The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo, presented at the State of Unreal 2025, dives into some of the innovative technology and features that will help bring the game’s open world to life. Taking place in the never-before-seen region of Kovir, the tech demo is a first look at the cutting-edge technology powering The Witcher 4.”

 

Captured on a PlayStation 5 running at 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled, the demo showcases a “standalone” demo built specifically to highlight the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. For the uninitiated, Unreal Engine is a 3D creation tool developed by Epic Games that is primarily used for game development.

Key highlights from The Witcher 4 demo:

Seamless cinematic-to-gameplay transition

 

The demo begins with a cinematic sequence showing a carriage being attacked by a winged creature. The action then shifts seamlessly to Ciri — confirmed as the main protagonist — as she investigates the scene in the new region of Kovir. The transition between cinematic and gameplay elements is smooth, offering a glimpse of the game's visual consistency and narrative immersion. CD Projekt RED also confirmed Kovir will be a playable region in The Witcher 4.

 

Although the developer clarified that it’s not actual gameplay footage, the seamless transition between cinematic and gameplay elements is still quite impressive.

 

New Physics and realism

 

The presentation demonstrated the enhanced power of Unreal Engine 5, particularly in environmental detail and character movement. One standout moment featured Ciri riding her horse Kelpie through the wilderness, with close attention paid to muscle flexing during each stride.

 

The foliage and terrain were brought to life using Nanite Foliage — a feature in UE5 that enables developers to populate worlds with highly detailed, full-geometry grass, trees, and plants.

 

In game interactions

 

The demo also showcased dynamic NPC (non-playable character) interactions. In one scene, Ciri bumps into a fruit vendor in a crowded market, spilling his crate of apples. A nearby NPC then rushes over to help pick them up. CD Projekt RED noted that such incidental reactions will be a part of the game world, increasing realism and immersion.

Launch timeline

 

Despite showing significant development progress, The Witcher 4 isn’t expected to launch before 2026. In fact, a delay to 2027 remains likely. At a previous earnings call, CD Projekt RED CFO Piotr Nielubowicz stated: “All we could share for now, to give more visibility to investors, is that the game will not be launched within the timeframe of the first target for the incentive programme, which ends 31st of December 2026.”

 

Ciri taking on the role of protagonist was first confirmed in the game’s reveal trailer during The Game Awards 2024, marking a new chapter in the franchise after the Geralt-led trilogy.