The Witcher IV now has a target year. CD Projekt Red says its next Witcher game is aiming for 2028, but the studio is not ready to give an exact date and will not show the game at Gamescom 2026. The announcement gives fans a clearer wait without pretending the launch is locked.
The Witcher 4 Has a 2028 Target, Not a Release Date
Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski shared the update on August 24 while talking about CD Projekt Red’s Gamescom plans. He said The Witcher IV is targeting a 2028 release window and that the team is not ready to share a specific day or month. CD Projekt Red also told fans that the game will not be part of this week’s event.
The studio’s current announcement lists PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC as the target platforms, according to the report carrying Nowakowski’s statement. Those plans can still change before launch, especially with more than a year of development left, so the 2028 window is the useful piece of news for now.
This is a different kind of update from a release-date reveal. There is no new trailer, pre-order page, or gameplay demo attached to it. CD Projekt Red is setting expectations early while keeping the project away from a showcase that will focus on other Witcher content.
Ciri Leads a New Witcher Saga
CD Projekt Red again described The Witcher IV as the start of a new saga with Ciri at the center. The company says more than 500 developers are working on it and describes a large open world, action-focused gameplay, and a story built to carry the next chapter of the series. It has not revealed the plot, supporting cast, or the shape of the world beyond those broad details.
Ciri’s role changes the starting point from the previous trilogy, which followed Geralt of Rivia through his work as a monster hunter. It does not mean Geralt has been erased from the universe, and CD Projekt Red has not explained how the older characters will connect to the new story. The studio is only confirming who leads the new saga.
The Witcher 3 Is Getting the Next Big Showcase
The Witcher project CD Projekt Red is willing to show at Gamescom is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past. The expansion returns players to Geralt and adds a new chapter to the 2015 role-playing game. The studio says it will present the first full look during Opening Night Live and on the Gamescom show floor.
Songs of the Past is planned for 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. CD Projekt Red has not given a specific launch date for the expansion either, but it is much closer to release than The Witcher IV. That gives the series a concrete update for the near term while the new saga remains in production.
Why Gamescom Will Not Show The Witcher IV
CD Projekt Red’s message makes the split between the two projects clear. Songs of the Past has a presentation ready for visitors and viewers, while The Witcher IV is still being built by a large team and has no public gameplay showing attached to the 2028 target.
That may disappoint fans who expected a surprise trailer, but it also prevents Gamescom from turning a release window into a promise the studio cannot meet. The next Witcher IV update will be more useful if it includes footage, a clearer look at Ciri’s role, or a firmer launch plan instead of another broad description.
Players returning to Wild Hunt can use our Witcher 3 build guide while waiting for the new saga.
For the Gamescom schedule, see our Opening Night Live watch guide.
The confirmed picture is simple: The Witcher IV is targeting 2028, Ciri leads the new saga, and the game will not appear at Gamescom 2026. Songs of the Past is the next playable piece of the franchise, with its 2027 release and Gamescom presentation still ahead.
