CD Projekt Addresses Witcher 4 Tech Demo Concerns

The Witcher 4 tech demo revealed breathtaking visuals, though CD Projekt Red maintains it's purely a technical showcase rather than representative gameplay. As IGN's coverage confirms, this UE5 demonstration shouldn't be taken as the final product - but seeing this immersive glimpse of The Witcher universe inevitably raises expectations for what's coming in several years.

Next-Gen Visuals on Display

Running at 60fps on PlayStation 5 hardware, the demo featured Ciri exploring the newly revealed region of Kovir while completing a monster contract (CDPR confirmed Kovir will be explorable in the final game). The level of detail proves staggering, with animation quality surpassing current console generation capabilities. Ciri and her horse Kelpie demonstrate remarkably fluid interactions with NPCs and environments as they traverse Kovir's mountains toward the port town of Valdrest.

The demo's most impressive technical showcase came during a marketplace scene populated by 300 uniquely animated NPCs - concluding with our first view of Lan Exeter, Kovir's winter capital and major port city.

Following Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch, CD Projekt Red faces inevitable questions about whether this tech demo accurately previews The Witcher 4's final look. When pressed at Epic's State of Unreal event, Cinematic Director Kajetan Kapuściński offered measured responses while hinting at their creative vision:

"This UE5 tech demo represents our ambition and co-developed technology foundation," Kapuściński explained. "While demonstrating artistic direction, every element remains subject to change as development progresses."

Epic's Wyeth Johnson confirmed the PS5's demonstrated 60fps/ray tracing performance reflects achievable targets: "Our optimizations now deliver 2-10x performance gains while maintaining visual fidelity." This suggests significant technical breakthroughs since early UE5 implementations.

Visual Breakthroughs Previewed

Kapuściński revealed key technological advances players can anticipate:

• Nanite foliage enabling vast, highly detailed forests
• Advanced crowd simulation with hundreds of unique NPCs
• Next-generation animation frameworks
• Enhanced environmental streaming capabilities

While target platforms remain unconfirmed, the demo's PS5 showcase suggests cross-generation release potential. With Rockstar targeting current-gen for GTA VI (including Xbox Series S), similar ambitions for The Witcher 4 seem plausible - though CDPR indicates we won't see the final product until 2027 at earliest.

The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo Screenshots

View 13 Images