The fourth Witcher game, codenamed Project Polaris, has entered full-scale production, developer CD Projekt Red announced Tuesday as it reported its third-quarter financial results for 2024. The studio said it had wrapped up pre-production on the game, set to be the first instalment in a new The Witcher trilogy. The polish gamemaker also revealed that Cyberpunk 2077, its action-RPG that launched in 2020, had sold over 30 million copies and had continued to show strong sales in the latest quarter.
The Witcher 4 Enters Production
“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,” Michał Nowakowski, Joint CEO of CD Projekt, said in a statement on the company’s Q3 2024 financial results. “We are very pleased with our progress on this project, and I wish to thank the team for its dedication.”
In a post on X, Nowakowski congratulated the Witcher team for reaching the milestone. “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,” he said.
The Witcher game director Sebastian Kalemba also confirmed the development on X and said he believed the new The Witcher trilogy could be a “remarkable experience”.
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
Cyberpunk 2077 Sells 30 Million Copies
CD Projekt also announced that Cyberpunk 2077 had crossed 30 million copies sold, while its Phantom Liberty expansion, that released in 2023 and featured actor Idris Elba in a major role, had sold over eight million copies.
“These are impressive figures. I’m very happy to see a large, dedicated community coalesce around our Cyberpunk games,” Nowakowski said. “In the coming year the base game, along with its expansion, will be released to a new group of users: owners of Mac devices powered by Apple Silicon chips.”
Based on strong sales for Cyberpunk 2077, the Phantom Liberty expansion, and Witcher 3, the studio posted PLN 228 million (roughly $55.5 million or Rs. 468.7 crore) in revenue in Q3 2024.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion launched in 2023
Photo Credit: CD Projekt Red
The Witcher 4 Details
Project Polaris was first announced in March 2022; CD Projekt confirmed at the time the game would be built in Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5. Later that year, the company revealed that Project Polaris would be the beginning of a new Witcher saga — the first instalment in a new trilogy. The developer aims to deliver all three games within a six-year period following the launch of The Witcher 4.
While details about The Witcher 4 are sparse, it is confirmed to be a story-driven open-world RPG, “built on the legacy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.” The studio has not confirmed a release timeline for the game yet, but it is likely years away from launch.
In August, Doug Cockle, the voice actor for Geralt of Rivia, the protagonist in the first three games, claimed that the character would feature in The Witcher 4, but not in a central role. “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,” Cockle had said in an interview at the time.