UPDATE: 2025-06-29 17:42 EST BY RHIANNON BEVAN
CD Projekt Red clarifies that this is a tech demo
While we did see a dev controlling Ciri with a PS5 controller, CDPR has now clarified that this is not actual gameplay from The Witcher 4, but rather a tech demo, showcasing some of the tech going into the game. In a statement toVGC, a spokesperson says that what we see is a “powerful foundation” for the actual release. Our original report follows.
Summary
The Witcher 4was just showcased at the State of Unreal, giving us a look at the tech going into the game. In the demo, we seeCirireturn from a quest, travelling on her own horse, Kelpie.
CD Projekt Reddrew attention to how reactive the game is in this demo, and certainly, what the devs had to show off was impressive. Here, we see Ciri bump into an NPC carrying food, causing it to fall to the ground. Then, we see a child rush in to steal the food. We’re told that such interactions will be found throughout The Witcher 4, as the devs are eager to make settlements feel more alive.
The Witcher 4’s Technical Demo Shows Ciri Turning In A Quest
The showcase starts with another cinematic,much like we saw when The Witcher 4 was revealed late last year. However, this time, we actually get to see the player move Ciri around, as she mounts Kelpie and makes her way to a nearby town.
Here, we see the new tech in action. NPCs react to Ciri’s presence, with one even spitting at her. Of course, there’s no way to tell if the game will truly be this reactive at launch, but the devs were eager for players to notice these interactions, so it’s something that the team is focusing on.
Aside from that, we get plenty more shots of Ciri,our new protagonist. Here, she’s dripped out like a Witcher (or “Witcheress”, as an NPC calls her), rocking the same braid we saw in the reveal.
While everything looks quite far along here, we have to remember that this is a technical showcase, so this doesn’t mean that CDPR has a whole 50+ hour adventure ready to go, running exactly as we saw here. No, we’re in for a bit of a wait, as CDPR doesn’t anticipate that it will beready until 2027 at the earliest.
