"Witcher 4 2026 Release Rumors Debunked"

CD Projekt has officially confirmed that The Witcher 4 will not be released in 2026. Read on for the latest updates and insights into the game’s development status.

The Witcher 4 Will Not Be Released in 2026

No Official Release Window Announced Yet

Fans of The Witcher series will need to be a little more patient, as CD Projekt has clarified that The Witcher 4 won’t be launching by the end of 2026. This statement came from the company's fiscal year 2024 earnings presentation, where they outlined financial goals tied to share-based incentive programs for the next fiscal cycle. They added: “Even though we do not plan to release The Witcher 4 by the end of 2026, we are still driven by this financial goal.”

During the Q&A portion of the event, further questions were raised about the comment. However, CD Projekt Red offered no additional details regarding a potential release date beyond 2026. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz stated: “We are not going to announce the precise launch date for the game yet. All we could share now to give more visibility to investors is that the game will not be launched within the time frame of the first target for the incentive program, which ends December 31, 2026.”

Development Is in Full Swing

While fans may have to wait longer than hoped, it’s reassuring to know that The Witcher 4 is well into its development phase. As noted in CD Projekt’s Q3 financial update last year, Project Polaris—now officially known as The Witcher 4—is the most advanced among their current titles. Nielubowicz remarked: “Of all our projects, this one is currently the most far along, and we're starting the most intensive phase of development. I wish to thank the team for its effort and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for further progress.”

Originally announced in 2022 as Project Polaris, the game made a dramatic debut during The Game Awards 2024 with a cinematic trailer that revealed its official title: The Witcher IV. The game marks a major shift in storytelling, stepping away from Geralt of Rivia and introducing Ciri—Geralt’s adoptive daughter—as the new protagonist. Now older and more experienced, she takes center stage in what promises to be a fresh chapter in the franchise.

According to earlier announcements on X (formerly Twitter) in October 2022, The Witcher 4 kicks off an entirely new trilogy. Following its release, two more games—currently referred to as Project Canis Majoris and Project Orion—are expected to arrive over the subsequent six-year period.