Witcher 4 Will Prioritize Console Development, Says CDPR
▼ Summary
– CD Projekt Red and Epic discussed the Unreal Engine 5 tech demo for The Witcher 4, focusing on high polygon counts for realistic visuals.
– The demo was shown running on a PlayStation 5, marking a shift toward console-first development to avoid past performance issues.
– CD Projekt Red aims to establish strong technical and visual foundations on consoles before scaling up for PC.
– The team acknowledges their history of pushing PC limits but emphasizes a more balanced approach for The Witcher 4.
– PC gamers will still receive a high-quality experience, though specific details for The Witcher 4 remain undecided.
The Witcher 4 will take a console-first development approach, according to CD Projekt Red, marking a strategic shift from their traditional PC-focused workflow. During a recent Unreal Engine 5 tech demo discussion, the studio revealed plans to prioritize PlayStation 5 performance before scaling up for other platforms—a move aimed at avoiding past optimization struggles.
Charles Tremblay, CDPR’s VP of technology, explained that while the team historically pushed PC hardware first, console-first development could prevent the technical hurdles seen in previous releases. The goal is to achieve a stable 60 fps on PS5 before expanding features for higher-end systems. This doesn’t mean PC players will miss out, however. Jakub Knapik, VP of art, emphasized that scaling up from a solid console foundation allows for more consistent visual fidelity across platforms, including advanced ray tracing and other cutting-edge effects.
Fans might recall Cyberpunk 2077’s rocky console launch or The Witcher 3’s post-release patches, but CDPR seems determined to learn from those experiences. Tremblay reassured that PC gamers will still receive a top-tier experience, though specifics remain under wraps. The studio’s legacy as a PC developer suggests high-end hardware will eventually see the game’s full potential, just not at the expense of stability elsewhere.
For now, the focus is on building a robust technical base for consoles, ensuring smoother performance out of the gate. Whether that means sacrificing some ultra settings at launch or simply delaying PC-exclusive features remains unclear. One thing’s certain: CDPR isn’t abandoning its roots but adapting to deliver a more polished experience for all players.
(Source: PC Gamer)
