The Witcher 4 release year confirmed as DLC prepares for Gamescom unveiling

CD Projekt is hyping The Witcher 4 up as the studio’s most ambitious game yet (CD Projekt) It’s still going to be a long wait for The Witcher 4, so it’s a good thing CD Projekt is planning to show the DLC for The Witcher 3 at Gamescom this week. CD Projekt had already confirmed that it will be showing off its upcoming DLC expansion for The Witcher 3, titled Songs Of The Past, at Gamescom this week. Aside from a trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live, the DLC will be demonstrated on the showroom floor, although CD Projekt hasn’t specified whether attendees will be allowed to actually play it for themselves or just watch it. This always seemed to suggest that the next game, The Witcher 4, wouldn’t be present and while CD Projekt has now confirmed that to be the case they have announced its release year… via a tweet from Geoff Keighley. In a video clip shared via the official Witcher X account, CD Projekt’s joint CEO Michał Nowakowski described The Witcher 4, which marks the start of a new saga with Geralt’s adopted daughter in the lead role, as ‘our biggest, boldest, and most ambitious game to date.’ After breaking the bad news, that The Witcher 4 won’t have a presence at Gamescom, Nowakowski announced that the goal is to have the game out in 2028. Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. ‘I know it’s a bit of a wait and you’d love to play it sooner, but let the team cook. It will be worth the wait,’ added Nowakowski. For what it’s worth, 2028 was always the most sensible estimate for The Witcher 4’s release date. Last year, CD Projekt indicated that the game could launch as early as 2027 but wisely didn’t commit to it. Even now, 2028 is only the taget window, so CD Projekt is leaving itself ample wiggle room in the event it needs to launch The Witcher 4 late into the year or even push it into 2029. To our beloved fans, players, and community:As we near #gamescom in just a few days, CD PROJEKT RED Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski would like to personally invite YOU to join us there, and hear about the future of The Witcher franchise! pic.twitter.com/Jyam30SrQH— The Witcher (@thewitcher) August 24, 2026 This lends credence to theories that the new Witcher 3 DLC will serve as a bridge that connects to The Witcher 4 in terms of story, since it’s very unusual to release an expansion so long after the game first came out. Although the DLC lacks an exact date, it is scheduled for 2027. The only other thing fans really know about it is that series protagonist Geralt will remain the focus. While everyone will need to exercise some patience, there is a Witcher alternative launching next week, on September 3, in the form of The Blood Of Dawnwalker, which immediately gave off Witcher vibes during our preview session. That should come as no surprise as it’s being helmed by former CD Projekt staff, including Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, who was co-director on The Witcher 3 before leaving in 2022 to set up his own studio, Rebel Wolves. The Blood Of Dawnwalker sees you play as a human/vampire hybrid who has only 30 days to save his family and features both sword combat and magic vampire powers such as teleportation. The Blood Of Dawnwalker’s comparisons to The Witcher are unavoidable (Bandai Namco) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. Arrow MORE: Hideo Kojima wants to keep making new video games as he turns 63 years old Arrow MORE: Sony trolls PlayStation boycotters with reminder they don’t own digital games Arrow MORE: GTA 6 leaker teases ‘nudist town’ video as Rockstar try to catch hackers GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.