CDPR Targets 2028 Release for ‘Biggest, Boldest’ The Witcher 4, Skips Gamescom for Expansion Focus

CD Projekt Red aims for a 2028 launch of The Witcher 4, calling it their largest project yet. The studio won’t feature the sequel at the next Gamescom, choosing instead to spotlight a major new expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This move highlights a development strategy that values sufficient time for polish, informed by previous releases.

Key takeaways

• The Witcher 4 is officially targeting a 2028 release.
• CD Projekt Red describes the sequel as its ‘biggest, boldest and most ambitious game to date.’
• The game will not be shown at Gamescom 2026.
• The studio’s Gamescom presence will instead focus on ‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past,’ a major expansion due in 2027.
• Leadership emphasizes giving the team time to ‘cook,’ prioritizing a polished launch over a rushed one.

Official 2028 Target and Ambitious Scope

CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski has confirmed the company hopes to release The Witcher 4 in 2028. The sequel was first announced in 2022 and received its reveal trailer at The Game Awards in late 2024.

Nowakowski directly addressed the long development timeline, stating, “I know it’s a bit of a wait and you’d love to play it sooner, but let the team cook.” He stressed the game’s scale, calling it “our biggest, boldest and most ambitious game to date” in a short video posted to social media.

To concentrate on this major project, CDPR will not show The Witcher 4 at Gamescom. Instead, the company’s event presence will focus on revealing “a lot” of the upcoming The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past expansion, scheduled for 2027.

Gamescom Absence and Focus on The Witcher 3 Expansion

CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski confirmed the company will not show its upcoming sequel, The Witcher 4, at Gamescom, which starts on August 26, 2026. The studio’s presentation will focus entirely on new content for an existing title.

Spotlight on Songs of the Past

Nowakowski stated that CDPR will show “a whole lot” of the upcoming expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, titled Songs of the Past. This expansion is the third major addition to the 2015 action RPG and is scheduled for release sometime in 2027.

The company plans to reveal a large portion of the expansion at the event. This presentation will include what Nowakowski called a “taste of its dark story and the new content it will bring,” directing all immediate promotional focus toward this 2027 release.

Context of Upcoming Content and Development Philosophy

While CD Projekt Red will not showcase The Witcher 4 at Gamescom, it will instead present a significant look at The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past expansion. This expansion is the third major addition to the 2015 action RPG and is scheduled for release sometime in 2027, arriving a full decade after the game’s second expansion.

The company’s development philosophy for the new mainline title is emphasized by the statement from joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski, who said, “let the team cook.” This approach stresses providing the development team with enough time, aiming for a 2028 release for what is called their “biggest, boldest and most ambitious game to date.”

The article’s author explicitly supports this extended timeline, noting a preference for allowing CDPR the required time to ensure a quality launch. This position is presented as a conscious effort to avoid a launch situation like the troubled original release of Cyberpunk 2077.