Unreal Fest 2025 began with an exciting showcase from CD Projekt Red, revealing a 14-minute tech demo of The Witcher 4 that highlights their integration with Unreal Engine 5. The demo impressed audiences with stunning forest visuals, complex character models, and advanced ray tracing technology, all operating smoothly at 60 frames per second on a standard PlayStation 5. This early look at one of the most ambitious graphical projects for current-gen consoles drew significant attention.
Digital Foundry’s Alex Battaglia explored CD Projekt Red’s office in Warsaw to interview key developers about the journey to this demo. VP of Technology Charles Tremblay and other vital team members discussed the transition from RedEngine to Unreal Engine, emphasizing the desire for multi-project capabilities and an enhanced multiplayer experience. Tremblay pointed out that although their previous technology was successful—highlighting achievements with Cyberpunk—shifting to a more flexible engine was crucial for future growth.
The focus on achieving 60fps on console, a departure from CD Projekt Red’s previous PC-first strategy, was motivated by their high aspirations for The Witcher 4. The team recognized previous challenges with scaling down from PC to console and chose to develop with a console-first mindset for smoother performance and player experience.
Key technical discussions also emerged, particularly in regards to optimizing hardware Lumen in achieving 60fps during the demo, a feat not commonly attained by other games using Unreal Engine 5. Lead rendering programmer Kevin Örtegren explained the importance of performance optimizations on both GPU and CPU sides, ensuring low rendering costs for effective gameplay.
Exploring new artistic capabilities, the developers highlighted their work with Nanite foliage, which replaces older cut-out techniques for more realistic environmental visuals. They noted that this combined approach offers dynamic lighting solutions necessary for the game’s open-world environment, which features a comprehensive day/night cycle.
As the team continues to push the capabilities of the Unreal Engine and their art design, they remain conscious of how to scale their technology for more powerful platforms in the future, all while aspiring to deliver the best experience possible for PC gamers.
This exciting tech demo serves as a testament to CD Projekt Red’s commitment to innovation and quality in gaming graphics and design. The ongoing partnership with Epic Games signifies a promising future for The Witcher 4 and potential advancements in gaming technology overall.
This article holds a hopeful perspective on the future of The Witcher 4, illustrating the strides made in gaming technology and artistic expression. The success of this tech demo hints at a thrilling experience awaiting gamers when the title is eventually released.