The Witcher 4 — Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo

[Artilla__]

Direct from the State of Unreal 2025, we are excited to share an early development Unreal Engine 5 tech demo for The Witcher 4.

In collaboration with Unreal Engine, we're working to make The Witcher 4 the most immersive Witcher game to date.

Take a peek at how we’re using Unreal Engine 5 to enhance open-world experiences, push boundaries, and lay the foundation for the next Witcher saga.

Keep in mind this isn’t gameplay of The Witcher 4 itself, but a deep dive into the technological groundwork.

 

[Toyen]

Place give us high quality wallpapers from this presentation! The ones shared in the screenshots section are too blurry

 

[LeKill3rFou]

Honestly, it looks stunning!
But to fair, I doubt my poor Series X (or a "regular" PS5, even a pro) will be able to display such gorgeous graphics without catching fire or literally melting...
Let's hope I'm wrong

 

[alceryes]

Honestly, it looks stunning!
But to fair, I doubt my poor Series X (or a "regular" PS5, even a pro) will be able to display such gorgeous graphics without catching fire or literally melting...
Let's hope I'm wrong

They literally say that it is being rendered on a Standard PS5 (and with ray tracing).

Post automatically merged: Jun 3, 2025

This looks absolutely amazing! It looks further along than some people expected. Here's to The Witcher 4 in 2027! (hopefully)

 

[LeKill3rFou]

They literally say that it is being rendered on a Standard PS5 (and with ray tracing).

But running a tech demo and running a fully fleshed and functional game is quite different

 

[alceryes]

But running a tech demo and running a fully fleshed and functional game is quite different

This is true.
I'm still hoping that it's further along than some are speculating. I want it NOW!

 

[Sardukhar]

Let's remember that this is, indeed, a tech demo set in the world of the Witcher IV, using current Unreal Engine technology and not a gameplay demo from actual Witcher IV.

It's an important, even vital, difference. Looks great, we know Kovir is in (at least at this point) and it feels very, very Witcher. But. It's still not a Witcher IV gameplay demo.

 

[Riven-Twain]

Dwarves. Jolly good!

Oh -- ay, the trailer is rather impressive, too.

 

[Draconifors]

PC upgrade needed in the foreseeable future... I know that demo was on a PS5, but it's only a demo and no doubt a highly polished piece for the purpose of this showcase.

I am extremely impressed with how realistic Kelpie looked; the animation close-up could easily have been a real horse.
I hope she'll have a personality like Roach does; maybe they will purposely put in a "bug" or two for her, for old times' sake.

I will spend a lot of time just wandering around, looking at things.

For what it is, it is fantastic. Hopefully actual gameplay will look on a similar level, once we get some at some point.

 

[CiriusBlack]

Video looks amazing = ) And that horse is definitely impressive.

Can't wait to get my hands on the actual game and start exploring the world. Hoping for photomode from the start!

 

[Rawls]

Looks really good. Also, Kovir!!!

 

[muzic90210]

Devs, what did y’all to do Ciris face? She looked perfect in the first trailer back in December, she looked relatable, now she looks like a Barbie doll. I’m very disappointed. Y’all ought to trust yourselves to stick with what you thought was best and not give into unpopular opinions. You had it right the 1st time. Now she looks weird. I want to play as a roughed up Witcher not a pretty doll. You ruined her.

 

[AvarageEnjoyer]

Devs, what did y’all to do Ciris face? She looked perfect in the first trailer back in December, she looked relatable, now she looks like a Barbie doll. I’m very disappointed. Y’all ought to trust yourselves to stick with what you thought was best and not give into unpopular opinions. You had it right the 1st time. Now she looks weird. I want to play as a roughed up Witcher not a pretty doll. You ruined her.

We are back at "Ciri looks too cute/not cute enough" discourse
Unless developers outright state that it's not the case, I'm pretty sure that she has the same face, simply under different lighting and camera angles.

Now, of course, there is a possibility that devs sneakily changed her appearance, but if they did, I don't really see a noticeable difference.

 

[volodya_butylek]

Looks good. I can't wait for this game.

 

[muzic90210]

We are back at "Ciri looks too cute/not cute enough" discourse
Unless developers outright state that it's not the case, I'm pretty sure that she has the same face, simply under different lighting and camera angles.
View attachment 11416694
Now, of course, there is a possibility that devs sneakily changed her appearance, but if they did, I don't really see a noticeable difference.

You can immediately tell they changed her face because ... were complaining, now she just looks weird.

I was excited for the Ciri they showed us in December, now she looks like a Disney princess.

I’ve said this time and time again, let the devs cook and stop nitpicking about every little detail and ruining it for the rest of us.

I don’t want to play a Disney game. I want to play a Witcher game.

... Leave our Witcher alone.

They had her look right the first time. Now they ruined her.

 

[AvarageEnjoyer]

You can immediately tell they changed her face because ... were complaining, now she just looks weird.

I was excited for the Ciri they showed us in December, now she looks like a Disney princess.

I’ve said this time and time again, let the devs cook and stop nitpicking about every little detail and ruining it for the rest of us.

I don’t want to play a Disney game. I want to play a Witcher game.

... Leave our Witcher alone.

They had her look right the first time. Now they ruined her.

To each their own, I guess.
Loved her in the reveal trailer, love her in the tech demo, will love her in the final game.
Besides, I'm sure there will be some sort of intoxication mechanic, like in Witcher 3, that will give her a gruffer, grittier look, so if you want her to look more intimidating, you can just play with alchemy.

 

[muzic90210]

I think I’ll pass. I was excited for Witcher 4 after the reveal trailer but now that they made Ciri look like a Bratz doll. No thanks.

At least Dawnwalker still looks interesting.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

Loved her in the reveal trailer, love her in the tech demo, will love her in the final game.

Yeah, the same. I loved her in the trailer, love her in the tech demo and probably will in game.
But even if for some reason, they change her look and I no longer love her (or not as much) I will still happily jumping into the game... it won't make the game bad... Ok, maybe a slightly less enjoyable, but nothing dramatic

 

[EdgeofTomrrow]

Devs, what did y’all to do Ciris face? She looked perfect in the first trailer back in December, she looked relatable, now she looks like a Barbie doll. I’m very disappointed. Y’all ought to trust yourselves to stick with what you thought was best and not give into unpopular opinions. You had it right the 1st time. Now she looks weird. I want to play as a roughed up Witcher not a pretty doll. You ruined her.

Riight? Everyone I’ve talked to has said the same thing.
It was fine the way it was in the reveal trailer.

She doesn’t look like much of a Witcher anymore.

 

[AvarageEnjoyer]

The devs have spoken:

CDPR says Ciri's face in the new Witcher 4 trailer is "a direct copy of The Witcher 3 model" despite "two subtle changes"

Ciri's face is "the same character model" from the 2024 Witcher 4 trailer

www.gamesradar.com

"It's the same character model used in the [2024] trailer," the spokesperson said. "Ciri's face is a direct copy of The Witcher 3 model, adapted to work with the latest MetaHuman technology. Two subtle changes were made to improve animation quality: slightly raised eyebrows, and a more relaxed eye area – the latter was present in the trailer but has since been removed."

I do find it funny that at first it was "Nooo she looks different and old now, bring back her original model!" and now it's "Noo, she looks too pretty, she is a Barbie doll, bring back the one from before!!"
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