The Witcher 4 won’t be the next game in CDPR’s series

The Witcher 4 won’t be the next game in the series, it has been reported. Instead, developer CD Projekt Red is said to be working on another single player title in the Witcher franchise, codenamed Project Golden Nekker.

This new Witcher game will launch sometime in 2022 and, if you hadn’t guessed already, it will once again adapt the popular card game, Gwent.

According to IGN, this is an entirely next take on the TCG that won’t require you to already own or play Gwent (which launched back in 2016). It’s a standalone title and one that promises a “captivating single-player experience” which presumably means it won’t be competitive or esports focused like its predecessor.

CDPR’s Gwent Comms Lead, Paweł Burza, also states that this won’t be another Witcher “Tales” game, referencing 2018’s Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. This was originally built as a single player, story-driven experience that attached onto the Gwent game client though quickly spun out to become its own entity.

It’s unclear what form Project Golden Nekker will take. CDPR is still supporting Gwent throughout 2022 with new content and events, so it’s unlikely this will replace it, especially given the single player focus.

If we had to guess, we’d imagine it to be similar to Thronebreaker, yet shedding the overworld and roleplaying elements for something purer. Instead of revising the Gwent ruleset, it could adapt the current formula into a solo game where players battle against an AI in new Witcher adventures. See The Lord of the Rings Living Card Game for an idea of how this works.

Of course, whatever direction CDPR takes, fans will be hoping this will be a prelude to The Witcher 4. The series’ creators have a vision for this next game though details are sparse with no clues on when or where it will be set. Many have guessed that Ciri will step up to become the main protagonist though nothing has been confirmed yet.

We’re not likely to hear about The Witcher 4 for quite some time as we wait for Cyberpunk 2077 to finally arrive on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S alongside the delayed Witcher 3 next-gen upgrade.

Source: IGN