CD Projekt Red announced on Tuesday that the highly anticipated fourth installment of the Witcher series, known by its codename Project Polaris, has entered full-scale production. This milestone was disclosed during the studio’s report on its financial results for the third quarter of 2024. The company revealed that pre-production on the game has been completed, marking it as the first title in a new Witcher trilogy.
Witcher 4 Commences Full Production
Michał Nowakowski, Joint CEO of CD Projekt, expressed his enthusiasm for the progress made, stating in a statement regarding the financial report, “I’m proud to confirm that several weeks ago the Polaris team wrapped up preproduction and moved on to full-scale production – the most intensive phase of development. We are very pleased with our progress on this project, and I wish to thank the team for its dedication.”
In a separate communication on X, game director Sebastian Kalemba reiterated the exciting prospect of the new trilogy, suggesting that it could lead to a “remarkable experience” for players.
Another milestone for the next Witcher game completed! Congratulations to the whole Team! I’m proud to see how you’ve progressed over time. Entering the production stage of Polaris is an important step on our path to deliver the game and our long term strategic goals. Go Team,… https://t.co/XfIXGIRTxm
— Michał Nowakowski (@michalnowakow) November 26, 2024
Sales Milestone for Cyberpunk 2077
The studio also shared that its previous title, Cyberpunk 2077, has exceeded 30 million copies sold, while the game’s 2023 expansion, Phantom Liberty, which features actor Idris Elba, has surpassed eight million in sales.
Nowakowski remarked on the success of the Cyberpunk franchise, stating, “These are impressive figures. I’m very happy to see a large, dedicated community coalesce around our Cyberpunk games.” He further noted that in the coming year, the base game and its expansion will be accessible to a new audience: Mac users with Apple Silicon chips.
Strong sales from Cyberpunk 2077, its Phantom Liberty expansion, and The Witcher 3 contributed to CD Projekt’s report of PLN 228 million (approximately $55.5 million) in revenue for Q3 2024.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion launched in 2023
Photo Credit: CD Projekt Red
Insights on The Witcher 4
First announced in March 2022, Project Polaris is set to be developed using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5. CD Projekt has indicated that this new project will launch the first part of a fresh saga within the Witcher universe, with plans to release all three games in this trilogy within six years after the debut of The Witcher 4.
While specific details about the game remain limited, it has been confirmed that it will be a story-driven open-world RPG, building on the foundation laid by The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Although no release date has been set, the game is expected to be several years from completion.
Doug Cockle, the voice actor for Geralt of Rivia from the earlier Witcher games, indicated in August that Geralt would make an appearance in Project Polaris, though not as the main character. “What we know is that Geralt will be part of the game; we just don’t know how much. And the game won’t focus on Geralt, so it’s not about him this time,” he noted during an interview.
