The Witcher 4 UE5 demo purely technical showcase

The recent State of Unreal 2025 tech demo for The Witcher 4 demonstrated promising early visuals, though developers at CD Projekt Red emphasize these may evolve before final release. Here's what we learned about performance targets and technical capabilities showcased during the presentation.

The Witcher 4 State of Unreal 2025 Tech Demo

Performance Targets for Consoles

The stunning tech demo ran at 60fps on base PS5 hardware, though CDPR stresses this doesn't reflect final optimization. Speaking with Eurogamer, a studio representative explained: "While 60fps on PS5 remains our target, platform specifications aren't yet finalized. We're collaborating with Epic to deliver an open-world experience that balances visual fidelity with smooth performance."

The demo has understandably excited fans, but CDPR urges caution against assuming these visuals represent the shipping product. The studio's experience with Cyberpunk 2077's launch reminds them to manage expectations carefully. "This demonstration showcases our development tools rather than final game assets," clarified the representative. "Environmental details and character models may differ in the actual release."

Unreal Engine 5 Technology Preview

The 14-minute presentation highlighted Unreal Engine 5.6's capabilities, including photorealistic rendering, advanced ray tracing, and environmental detail. Opening with a cinematic monster ambush that transitions into live gameplay, players control Ciri investigating the wreckage and exploring the snow-covered landscape.

The demo introduced Ciri's horse Kelpie, demonstrating realistic movement through UE5's ML Deformer technology that simulates accurate muscle movement. Other featured innovations included Nanite Foliage for dense vegetation rendering, Fast Geo Streaming for seamless world loading, and MetaHuman AI for living, dynamic crowds.

For the first time, CDPR revealed the northern kingdom of Kovir and its mountain port town Valdrest. While combat mechanics weren't demonstrated, the technical showcase impressed with environmental detail and character animation. The Witcher 4 is confirmed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, though no release window has been announced. Stay tuned for future updates on this highly anticipated RPG.