The Witcher IV to Match Wild Hunt in Size, Prioritizes Quality Over Quantity
Following the reveal of The Witcher IV trailer at The Game Awards 2024, CD Projekt RED's Game Director, Sebastian Kalemba, provided new insights about the game's scope and development goals during an interview with the YouTube channel Skill Up. Fans eager for details on the upcoming entry in the franchise can expect a game of similar size to The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, but with a renewed focus on quality rather than sheer quantity.
A Balanced Approach to Scale
Kalemba shared an anecdote from The Witcher III's expansion development to highlight the challenges of estimating game size. Initial projections for the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions vastly underestimated their final playtime, which reached 30+ hours.
For The Witcher IV, the team is taking lessons from its past projects, including Cyberpunk 2077, to carefully structure the game's content. Kalemba explained:
"The map of The Witcher IV is definitely more or less the same when it comes to size. The amount of quests is also more or less the same... First and foremost, we want to deliver a super compelling experience. Quality over quantity is our primary goal. The game will be big, but it won't be about hitting arbitrary numbers."
Scope Comparable to Wild Hunt
Kalemba assured fans that the new installment would match the grandeur of Wild Hunt. For reference, The Witcher III's main story alone takes over 50 hours, with the total playtime easily exceeding 100 hours when side quests and hunts are included. However, The Witcher IV aims to balance its expansive world with a focus on storytelling, quest design, and gameplay polish.
Not the Start of a Marketing Campaign
While the reveal trailer generated significant excitement, Kalemba clarified that this was not the beginning of a full-scale marketing campaign. The studio is still in the early stages of full production, having only entered this phase earlier in 2024.
"This was simply a reveal of the title and the new protagonist," Kalemba emphasized. "There’s still a long wait ahead—likely a couple of years or more."
What Fans Can Expect
With a focus on delivering a "super compelling experience," The Witcher IV aims to uphold the series' legacy while refining its approach. The new protagonist, Ciri, introduces fresh dynamics to the narrative and gameplay. As CD Projekt RED balances ambition with lessons from past projects, players can expect an experience that respects the depth and richness of The Witcher universe.
Stay tuned for more updates as the journey toward release unfolds. Fans will have to be patient, but the promise of a game that prioritizes quality suggests it will be well worth the wait.
