Epic Games and CD Projekt Red showcases Witcher 4 tech demo running at 60fps on PS5

Epic Games and CD Projekt Red unveiled an technical demonstration of The Witcher 4 running on Unreal Engine 5.6 during Epic's State of Unreal 2025 event, showcasing the upcoming game's capabilities on base PlayStation 5 hardware at 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled.The tech demo follows protagonist Ciri and her horse Kelpie through the previously unseen region of Kovir, including the bustling port city of Valdrest. Epic emphasized this was strictly a technical showcase, not actual gameplay footage, though it provides the clearest glimpse yet of what players can expect from the highly anticipated sequel.The demonstration highlighted several cutting-edge features including Fast Geometry Streaming for seamless world loading, ML Deformer technology for realistic character animations, and advanced crowd simulation supporting up to 300 individually animated NPCs in market scenes. The showcase also featured Nanite Foliage technology, set for release in Unreal Engine 5.7, which renders dense, high-fidelity vegetation without performance penalties.The tech demo's performance on current-generation hardware suggests The Witcher 4 will be a cross-generational release, similar to Cyberpunk 2077's 2020 launch strategy. This approach allows the game to reach existing console owners while taking advantage of enhanced capabilities on newer systems.CD Projekt Red has indicated The Witcher 4 won't launch until 2027 at the earliest, ruling out releases in 2025 and 2026. The extended development timeline reflects the studio's commitment to avoiding the technical issues that plagued Cyberpunk 2077's initial release.The demo confirms Ciri as the new protagonist, replacing Geralt in what CD Projekt describes as the first entry in a new Witcher trilogy. Executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga called Ciri "the very organic, logical choice" for continuing the saga beyond Geralt's story.The collaboration between Epic Games and CD Projekt Red extends beyond The Witcher 4, with both companies working to enhance Unreal Engine 5's open-world capabilities for the broader gaming industry. The demonstrated technologies will be available to all developers using the engine.