Despite the launch success of Cyberpunk 2077, the controversies surrounding the open-world RPG appear to have redirected CD Projekt Red's future plans back toward its comfort zone. In March, CD Projekt Red confirmed that a new major installment in The Witcher franchise was in development. It will be the first game in a saga of new titles for The Witcher at the company. But before the next era of The Witcher arrives, CD Projekt wants to put a next-gen flourish on the most recent release in the series, The Witcher 3.As fans of The Witcher are likely already familiar, CD Projekt Red has been promising a next-gen version of The Witcher 3 for some time. The update's development, however, has had its issues. Originally planned to be developed by a team outside of CD Projekt Red, the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of The Witcher 3 saw frequent delays. Then, this past April, CD Projekt Red confirmed it was bringing the next-gen version of The Witcher 3 in-house to be finished.At the time, many The Witcher fans expected CD Project Red taking over the project to lead to another delay, which it now has. A new statement from CD Projekt Red confirms that a Q2 2022 release window is no longer the plan. Instead, CD Projekt Red is now targeting Q4 2022 for The Witcher 3's release on PS5 on Xbox Series X/S.
Whether this is the final release window for the project or not remains to be seen. As is evidenced by the release of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red is just as likely as an outside source to need more time with a project than originally planned. Q4 2022 remains the plan for now, though, but fans likely already know to be patient and open to further delays.
It still probably feels like this is now the correct path for the next-gen version of The Witcher 3, to fans. Having a third-party developer handle the next-gen version of The Witcher 3 always had some in the fandom feeling at odds with the project's direction. Now that CD Projekt Red is handling it, fans can expect the studio to deliver on its vision. Perhaps there could even be a tease for the next Witcher project included.
CD Projekt has a lot to prove to regain the trust of its audience following Cyberpunk 2077's controversies. But it also has a massively popular and successful series in The Witcher to return home to. If CD Projekt Red can ensure that its future projects, including the next-gen release of The Witcher 3, receive all the development time they need to succeed, then it will go a long way to rebuild that relationship with its fans.
The Witcher 3 releases Q4 2022 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.