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CD PROJEKT RED has scheduled The Witcher 4 for a planned 2028 release window and confirmed that Ciri is intended to become the series’ main protagonist. Before that sequel, the company’s roadmap calls for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered in 2026 and a new Geralt expansion, Songs of the Past, in 2027.
What CD PROJEKT RED announced
The September 2026 update lays out a three-year Witcher release sequence: the remastered edition of The Witcher 3 in 2026, Songs of the Past in 2027, and The Witcher 4 in 2028. These are planned dates rather than a guaranteed launch schedule, so platforms, features and timing could still change.
Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski described the handoff between heroes directly: “Eleven years after his last adventure Geralt will hit the trail one more time – before Ciri takes over as the main protagonist in The Witcher 4.” That makes the next mainline game a Ciri-led continuation, while giving Geralt one more new adventure first.
The three scheduled Witcher releases
| Release | Planned timing | Player character | Product type | Partners | Platforms stated | Role in the saga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered | September 29, 2026 | Geralt | Remastered existing game | Not stated | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, native Nintendo Switch 2 | Updated version of the existing third game |
| Songs of the Past | 2027 | Geralt | Third The Witcher 3 expansion | Co-developed with Fool’s Theory | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC | New Geralt story before the sequel |
| The Witcher 4 | 2028 | Ciri (planned main protagonist) | Next mainline game | Not stated | Not stated | Begins the next central chapter of the series |
Is Ciri the main character in The Witcher 4?
Yes—based on CD PROJEKT RED’s current wording, Ciri is planned as the main protagonist. The announcement does not provide a complete story synopsis, skill system, quest structure or explanation of how player choices from earlier games will carry forward. It establishes the character transition, not every design detail.
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![The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - PlayStation 4 [video game]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MjZ-5jWuL._SL160_.jpg)
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Geralt is therefore not being erased from the setting. He returns in Songs of the Past, the 2027 expansion, and the company’s statement positions that appearance as his next adventure before Ciri takes the lead in the sequel.
What is Songs of the Past?
Songs of the Past is described as a third expansion for The Witcher 3, co-developed by CD PROJEKT RED and Fool’s Theory. It is planned for 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The project is a new Geralt-led adventure rather than a remaster or a separate mainline sequel.
The announcement does not state an exact release date, price, expansion size or whether an older-generation console version will follow. Those details should not be inferred from the 2027 target.
What the 2026 remaster includes
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered is planned for September 29, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It will also have a native Nintendo Switch 2 version, making Switch 2 the first Nintendo platform specifically named for a native release of this remastered edition.
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- PLAY AS A HIGHLY TRAINED MONSTER SLAYER FOR HIRE: Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.
- Gruesomely destroy foes as a professional monster hunter armed with a range of upgradeable weapons, mutating potions, and combat magic.
- Hunt down a wide variety of exotic monsters, from savage beasts prowling mountain passes to cunning supernatural predators lurking in the shadowy back alleys of densely populated cities. Invest your rewards to upgrade your weaponry and buy custom armor, or spend them on horse races, card games, fist fighting, and other pleasures life brings.
- EXPLORE A MORALLY AMBIGUOUS FANTASY OPEN WORLD: Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity. Traverse a fantastical open world: explore forgotten ruins, caves, and shipwrecks, trade with merchants and dwarven smiths in cities, and hunt across the open plains, mountains, and seas. Deal with treasonous generals, devious witches, and corrupt royalty to provide dark and dangerous services. Make choices that go beyond good & evil, and face their far-reaching consequences.
- TRACK DOWN THE CHILD OF PROPHECY: Take on the most important contract of your life: to track down the child of prophecy, the key to saving or destroying this world. In times of war, chase down the child of prophecy, a living weapon foretold by ancient elven legends. Struggle against ferocious rulers, spirits of the wilds, and even a threat from beyond the veil – all hell-bent on controlling this world. Define your destiny in a world that may not be worth saving.
CD PROJEKT RED says the package includes both previously published expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. The company also says owners of the base edition can download the remaster free of charge. The announcement does not define every eligibility condition, such as regional storefront rules or whether all editions qualify, so owners should check the entitlement shown on their platform account.
The remaster will additionally be available through Battle.net under CD PROJEKT RED’s partnership with Blizzard Entertainment. That distribution option does not change the announced console platforms.
What is actually known about The Witcher 4’s development?
The clearest public technology milestone is a demonstration shown on June 3, 2025, during State of Unreal with Epic Games. CD PROJEKT RED presented Witcher 4 technology work connected to its strategic collaboration around Unreal Engine 5.
That presentation demonstrates a technical direction and active development, but it is not a complete feature list or a launch build. The company has not used it to confirm every gameplay system, map size, supported platform or final visual target.
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In its 2025 first-half earnings release, Nowakowski said, “We want our open worlds to become even more immersive and interactive,” and added that innovations developed with Epic Games would guide how the studio creates player experiences. Those comments describe development goals, not specifications that have been promised for release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the roadmap matters
The sequence gives players a clear way to follow the franchise without treating all three products as the same kind of game. The 2026 release is an upgraded version of a familiar adventure, 2027 adds a new story for Geralt, and 2028 is reserved for the next mainline chapter with Ciri at its center.
That schedule also explains why Geralt can appear in the near-term future even though Ciri is taking over the lead role. The two characters occupy different releases: Geralt anchors the expansion, while Ciri is planned to carry the sequel.
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The Witcher series’ current scale
In the September 2026 update, CD PROJEKT RED reported that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt had sold more than 65 million copies and that the full Witcher series had surpassed 90 million copies. The company also cited more than 250 Game of the Year awards and 1,000 industry awards. These are cumulative company-reported figures, not forecasts for the upcoming releases.
Quick Recap
What remains unconfirmed
- No exact launch date in 2028 has been announced for The Witcher 4.
- CD PROJEKT RED has not published a complete platform list for the sequel.
- Story details beyond Ciri’s planned protagonist role remain undisclosed.
- Songs of the Past has no announced day, price or runtime.
- The remaster’s free-upgrade eligibility may depend on the edition and storefront used.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
