The Witcher 4 development team is determined to take full advantage of the generational leap in gaming technology since the release of The Witcher 3. The ambition for a true next-gen experience was made clear right from the start with a tech demo showcased at this year’s Unreal Fest. 
In a conversation with GamesRadar+, Jan Hermanowicz, the Engineering Production Manager, discussed how CD Projekt Red is adapting to advancements in hardware, engines, and technology since The Witcher 3’s release.
The tech demo featured the village of Valdrest, which was filled with over 300 NPCs-an impressive density that mirrors that of Novigrad, the largest city in The Witcher 3. This clear upgrade shows CDPR’s commitment to pushing the boundaries beyond the previous game. Hermanowicz revealed that the NPC density in Valdrest was directly inspired by Novigrad, as the team thoroughly analyzed recordings of the city to better understand what worked in the past and what could be improved with the new technology.
While the tech demo might not fully represent the final game, it provided a strong first impression of the game’s potential. Running on a base PlayStation 4 at 60 FPS with ray tracing enabled, the demo displayed CDPR’s commitment to a console-first approach. This should reassure fans that the issues seen with Cyberpunk 2077’s console launch won’t be repeated. However, Xbox Series S owners might face challenges in achieving 60 FPS on their system, making it a more difficult experience compared to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners.