The Witcher 4 isn't technically called The Witcher 4, says CDPR
Even though that's what everyone will call it
The Witcher 4 isn't called "The Witcher 4" according to CD Projekt Red.
This comes hot on the heels of yesterday's announcement of a brand new game in the Witcher saga. Shortly after the announcement, CDPR global PR director Radek Grabowski reasserted that the company hadn't announced "The Witcher 4," but merely a new game in the Witcher series.
What we have NOT announced today:- A game called The Witcher 4.- A game exclusive to one storefront.It was our initial confirmation of a new saga in The Witcher franchise. Right now, we are not discussing any specifics in terms or story, characters, mechanics, or plot details.March 21, 2022
Yes, this is obvious, but it's also very natural. If you announce something new in an ongoing series, it's immediately going to get called the next numbered entry in the franchise if you don't announce an actual name for said thing. It's like how The Matrix Resurrections was just known as "The Matrix 4" before its full name was officially revealed, or how "Breath of the Wild 2" is known as just that because Nintendo still hasn't provided us with an actual name for it.
And that's absolutely fine. The implication is that CD Projekt Red is clear to assert that this isn't The Witcher 4, lest they lead people into assuming this new game is going to continue the adventures of Geralt, something that's been shot down by the company numerous times in the past. So no, The Witcher 4 won't be called The Witcher 4, but it's still a helpful shorthand term for now.
What we do know is that this new Witcher game is abandoning Cyberpunk 2077's REDengine in favor of the external Unreal Engine 5. This doesn't mean that the new Witcher game will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store, however, something that the company shot down as soon as the new game was announced. No matter what The Witcher 4 is actually called, it'll be a fair few years before we see anything of it.
Here's why we think Ciri should be the star of The Witcher 4, a perfect reset for the RPG franchise.
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Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.