The Witcher Remake Slowed Down for The Witcher 4: Project Awaits Ready Tech

Development of the remake of the first Witcher game is currently running in the background. CD Projekt’s management explained that production of the updated game is directly tied to building the tech foundation for the next numbered installment in the franchise.

As CD Projekt co-CEO Michał Nowakowski told The Game Business, the remake is built on the same software tools, pipelines, and tech assets that the company’s engineers are currently developing for The Witcher 4. To avoid doing double work and inventing parallel solutions on Unreal Engine 5, the studios decided to first lock down the flagship project’s base toolkit.

The Team Isn’t Idle

The main production of the remake is handled by Polish studio Fool’s Theory, known for the RPG The Thaumaturge. Since scaling up development before the core engine is ready makes no sense, CD Projekt has temporarily redistributed its partners’ resources.

Some Fool’s Theory staff have moved to directly support the The Witcher 4 team, while others are working on the large story expansion Songs of the Past for The Witcher 3, slated for release in 2027. The remake itself isn’t frozen: a small dedicated group of developers continues to flesh out the concept, quests, and world logic.

What the Updated Witcher Will Look Like

CD Projekt announced the project in October 2022 under the codename Canis Majoris. Unlike the 2007 original with its intimate locations and rhythmic combat system, the developers at Fool’s Theory are reimagining the game as a full-fledged RPG with a seamless open world and modern combat mechanics.

An estimated release window for The Witcher Remake hasn’t been announced yet. According to the publisher’s preliminary plans, it will launch after The Witcher 4’s premiere.