CD Projekt Red is going on the offensive and attempting to win over customers with "Project Polaris" – better known as The Witcher 4 – to finally leave behind the long shadow of Cyberpunk 2077. That the PR department in-house AnsweRED podcast The fact that they're now throwing around technical superlatives like 80 animations for a single step is no coincidence, but rather a necessary damage control measure. The shaken trust of the community and shareholders is to be restored in time for the targeted 2027 release.
Geralt's stiffness and the end of inertia
It started with a flashback. Geralt of Rivia was indeed an icon, but his control in The Witcher 3 It often felt so clunky that this "clunkiness" problem almost became a trademark. Animator Maciej Pietras now aptly compares good animation to the bass in a rock song, which you only sorely miss when it's absent or—as he himself says—"shitty."
The fact that over 80 layers are now being stacked for a simple walking motion is therefore not a purely technical exercise, but a massive attempt to overcome the uncanny valley and "edit" reality so that it finally feels fluid and direct on the controller. Previously, the input lagged behind by up to half a second.
Ciri as the driving force behind modern gameplay
That Ciri will take on the main role has long been an open secret, but the real news lies in the gameplay reorientation: We are moving away from cumbersome RPG mechanics towards modern action-adventure standards.
With a dedicated jump button and the ability to cast spells directly while moving, CDPR is technically catching up with the competition. Senior Gameplay Animator Dominika Staniaszek presents this as a profound insight, but in reality, it's simply a prerequisite for a modern gaming experience.
To that end, the team was reinforced with experts from studios like Guerrilla Games and Santa Monica. While this sounds like a "dream team," internally it also means massive pressure to meet expectations and less creative experimentation, as the high salary costs of the roster demand quick results.
The safety net of Unreal Engine 5
Perhaps the most important strategic move, however, is taking place behind the scenes: The switch from the troublesome RedEngine to Unreal Engine 5 is the ultimate admission that their own technology was simply no longer up to the task of meeting their new ambitions. By tearing down the old foundation and relying on Epic Games' infrastructure, they minimize the risk of total technical failures and prioritize "console-first" development to prevent a second fiasco on the base consoles at all costs.
While Ciri takes shape in the studio, the brand will of course continue to be monetized, with an anniversary release...DLC for The Witcher 3 In 2026, the logical move would be to keep fans engaged until Polaris hopefully delivers in 2027.
While they currently present themselves as reflective and humble, in the end it's not the communication that counts, but the finished product. The Witcher 4 Despite the enormous technical effort involved in the 80 animations per step, if the gameplay doesn't work, even the best engine won't be able to save the brand.
