CD Projekt Red has announced its ambitions for The Witcher 4, aiming to achieve 60 frames per second (fps) on current-generation consoles. However, the developer cautioned that reaching this target on the Xbox Series S may prove to be a significant challenge. This information follows the unveiling of an Unreal Engine 5 tech demo for the game during the recent State of Unreal presentation, which showcased the technological advancements behind the upcoming installment rather than actual gameplay footage. The demo was reportedly running on a standard PS5 at 60fps with ray tracing enabled.
Performance Aspirations for The Witcher 4
In a discussion with Digital Foundry regarding the tech demo, CD Projekt Red confirmed its goal of targeting 60fps for the game’s console performance from the onset. The studio is dedicated to providing the same frame rate for the RPG upon its eventual launch on current-gen consoles.
“At this stage, we’re fully aware that there’s still considerable work ahead. This is a tech demo; not all gameplay elements are implemented yet, including combat and various other features,” remarked Charles Tremblay, vice president of technology at CD Projekt Red.
“Nevertheless, we have set our ambitions high. This is the standard we hope to meet, and we’re determined to strive for 60fps in performance. It is too early to determine if we will succeed, but we are committed to putting in the effort to achieve it,” he added.
Challenges on the Series S
While aiming for 60fps on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, CD Projekt Red noted that doing so on the less powerful Xbox Series S will be particularly tough. “This is certainly on our radar,” Tremblay stated regarding the possibility of downgrading The Witcher 4’s graphics for the Series S. “However, I must emphasize that achieving 60fps on the Series S will present significant difficulties. This is an issue we need to address.”
The performance limitations of the Xbox Series S have become a common hurdle for developers creating Xbox Series X/S ports, given the console’s reduced memory and GPU capabilities compared to its more powerful counterpart. Microsoft has a policy that mandates gameplay feature parity across both current-generation consoles, requiring developers to release their games simultaneously on the Series X and Series S.
The launch of Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox was postponed due to the technical challenges associated with implementing the split-screen co-op feature on the Series S. Consequently, the game debuted on current-gen Xbox consoles without that feature on the Series S, four months post its PC release and three months after its PS5 launch.
Similarly, the developers of Black Myth Wukong indicated earlier this year that their action RPG was delayed on current-gen Xbox consoles due to optimization difficulties with the Series S.
While the tech demo for The Witcher 4 displayed 60fps on a standard PS5, it’s important to remember that this footage does not reflect the final version of the game. The RPG’s capability to meet this performance target at launch remains uncertain. Although CD Projekt Red has yet to confirm a release date, they have indicated that The Witcher 4 will not be available before 2027.
