It’s important to note that the UE5 demo is not an actual segment of the final game. Girbig refers to it as “a showcase of the tools that we’re currently crafting, which will ultimately power The Witcher 4,” and as something that “illustrates the style and direction we’re pursuing, as well as the level of fidelity we intend to achieve with the completed game.”

Girbig, who joined CDPR after the transition to Unreal, explains that the choice was made because UE5 “provides exactly what we need.” This includes an enhanced sense of scale required for open-world games, allowing for the rendering of hundreds of non-playable characters with sophisticated AI controlling their behavior, as well as a more efficient production pipeline for managing various projects. (A remake of the original Witcher game is also being developed in UE5.)

But from an artistic perspective, Girbig says, the move to Epic’s engine has a different kind of impact: getting out of the way to allow for more ambitious ideas. “It allows an artist to express themselves much more easily when the engine isn’t a limitation anymore,” he says. “That’s what we’re aiming for here. As an artist, for me, this unlocked myself to think bigger, and on bigger scales.”