The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it’s already working on its next singleplayer game, and teased that it may be set in The Witcher universe – but won’t be The Witcher 4.
CEO Adam Kiciński discussed the future game at an event in Poland, admitting that it’s still in very early stages.
“We’ve been working on a next single-player game already, creating a clear concept that waits for further development,” Kiciński said (in Polish, as translated by Eurogamer).
“It’s already working but we don’t want to commit to it yet. We’ll start working on this next game right after Cyberpunk 2077.”
Of course it’s no real surprise that the studio is already thinking about its next title – it would be much more alarming if it wasn’t already looking ahead – and with Cyberpunk due to launch on 17 September it won’t be long before the company can commit fully to the new title.
What’s more interesting is the twin confirmation that this definitely won’t be The Witcher 4, but that it could still sit within the universe created by fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski, most recently adapted to the small screen by Netflix, with a second season on the way.
“I already said there will be no Witcher 4,” he said. “I clearly said that Witcher was a trilogy. Simultaneously, we’ve always emphasised that we want to create Witcher games and the agreement with Mr. Sapkowski confirmed our rights.”
“We have two worlds and we want to create games in those two worlds,” added Kiciński. “That’s why all planned games are either Witcher or Cyberpunk.”
That means this next game might not be a Witcher title at all – it could be a Cyberpunk follow-up – but with renewed attention on the fantasy world following Netflix’s series it seems like the likelier option.
How will the company handle not doing a direct sequel though? Will it be a Geralt-starring prequel, a spin-off with a different lead, or even a series that lets you create your own Witcher? With character customisation a big part of the sell for Cyberpunk 2077, the studio could be tempted to take the some approach to the series that made its name.
