Epic Games and CD Projekt Red showcased an exciting technical demonstration of The Witcher 4 during Unreal Fest Orlando. Built using Unreal Engine 5's cutting-edge technology, this preview offers glimpses into Ciri's upcoming adventure – from breathtaking environments to immersive gameplay possibilities.
1. Tech Demo vs. Actual Gameplay
While Cinematic Director Kajetan Kapuściński controlled Ciri during the live demo, CD Projekt Red clarifies this isn't representative of final gameplay. The showcased mountain region, forest, and port town will appear in The Witcher 4, but specific quests and characters may differ.
"This demo was crafted to test technologies that will power The Witcher 4," explains Kapuściński. It reveals the studio's artistic vision for environmental design, NPC interactions, and seamless cinematic transitions.
2. Visual Fidelity on Base PS5
The demo's stunning visuals ran smoothly at 60fps on a standard PlayStation 5, thanks to Unreal Engine 5.6 optimizations. Epic Games' Wyeth Johnson confirms: "The technology we're developing meets player expectations across all hardware." Enhanced Hardware Ray Tracing eliminates CPU bottlenecks, enabling complex scenes at higher framerates.
3. Exploring Northern Realms
The demo transports players to Kovir, a mineral-rich northern kingdom beyond Redania and Temeria. Its dense forests showcase Unreal's revolutionary Nanite Foliage technology, creating unprecedented environmental detail without performance compromises. "For the Witcher franchise, the forest is the soul of the game," says CDPR's Charles Tremblay.
4. Ciri's Trusted Steed
Meet Kelpie – Ciri's sleek black mount from the Witcher novels. More agile than Geralt's Roach, this magical horse responds to bracelet summons. Unreal's multi-character motion matching promises smoother riding mechanics, while the name hints at potential water traversal abilities.
5. Classic Witcher Contract
Though not final gameplay, the demo featured narrative elements true to Witcher tradition. Ciri investigates missing salt shipments, leading to an epic confrontation with a manticore – a creature originally planned for The Witcher 3. The encounter blends adventure with the series' signature mature storytelling.
6. Living, Breathing Cities
Port town Valdrest houses over 300 NPCs with diverse appearances and behaviors, from market traders to children and disabled citizens. Epic's metahuman technology enables this population density while maintaining visual fidelity. "We want our worlds to feel vivid and believable," emphasizes Kapuściński.
7. Dynamic World Interactions
NPCs react organically to both environment and player actions. Bumping into merchants triggers realistic physics responses, while guards express hostility toward Witchers. These systemic behaviors create an immersive living world where every action carries consequences.
8. Fluid Cinematic Transitions
The demo showcased seamless transitions from gameplay to cutscenes, eliminating loading screens. Camera movements dynamically reframe conversations as Ciri approaches trigger points, building on CDPR's advancements from Cyberpunk 2077.
9. A Special Reveal
Demo concludes with a first look at Lan Exeter – Kovir's winter capital. This canal-based city (described in Sapkowski's novels) resembles a fantasy Venice, with waterways replacing streets. Players will likely explore its grand palaces and merchant estates.
10. The Future of RPGs
"We're ushering in a new generation of open-world RPGs," declares Game Director Sebastian Kalemba. Emphasis remains on storytelling immersion, supported by technology that disappears into the background. As Tremblay notes: "We want players to feel connected to this world."
