The first Witcher game has been trapped on the PC since its original release, and despite the massive popularity of the third title in the series, we haven’t yet seen a port to consoles.
It shouldn’t be too surprising, then – in the current climate of almost every classic game getting remade – that CD Projekt Red is remaking the first in the beloved series from the ground up. The Witcher, based on the fantasy novels of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, was first released back in 2007 on OS X.
CD Projekt Red recently announced a slate of new Witcher games, and one of those upcoming projects was codenamed Canis Majoris – this, it turns out, is the aforementioned remake of the first instalment in the now-beloved franchise.
It’s been confirmed that CD Projekt is working with a Polish studio called Fool’s Theory on the game.
The official announcement said: “Some of the people there have been previously involved in The Witcher games. They know the source material well, they know how much gamers have been looking forward to seeing the remake happen, and they know how to make incredible and ambitious games.”
If you’re a fan of the series (whether that be the books, games, or TV show), keep reading because we’re going to discuss what this new remake might include!
When is the The Witcher remake release date?
There is no information about The Witcher remake’s release date as of yet, but it’s likely going to be in the pipeline for a good while yet.
We’d be very happy if The Witcher remake release date occurred before the end of 2023, but even that feels a tad optimistic.
CD Projekt said in the initial announcement of the project, “it will take some time before we’re ready to share more about and from the game” – so patience could well be a virtue this time.
We only hope that the wait won’t be as long as that of Cyberpunk 2077 – eight years between its initial announcement and its release. This time, though, CD Projekt RED are working with Polish studio Fool’s Theory, so we’re hoping this will help speed things along a bit.
Can I pre-order The Witcher remake?
As the game itself looks to be a year or more away, it’s no surprise that we can’t pre-order The Witcher remake just yet. However, as soon as that option becomes available, we’re sure you’ll find out some way or another!
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Which consoles and platforms can play The Witcher remake?
While there wasn’t any mention of platforms in the announcement, we do know that – like The Witcher 4 – it’s going to be made using Unreal Engine 5. We hope that this means it’s going to be a cross-platform release, and the game will finally be available to non-PC users.
With 2015’s Witcher 3 being cross-platform, too, things are looking hopeful for PlayStation and Xbox owners, and perhaps even Switch users as well. We’ll let you know when any of that is confirmed.
The Witcher remake gameplay and story details
While the game is being rebuilt from the ground up, we’re expecting the gameplay to be more like Wild Hunt than its original incarnation. However, as Wild Hunt is now seven years old, it’s probably going to be a different kettle of fish entirely.
As for the story, that’s something we can have an educated guess about. We’ve seen a few remakes in recent years (one could argue a few too many), and in every one the story has been a retelling of the original.
As the original version’s Steam page still declares: “The Witcher is a role-playing game set in a dark fantasy world where moral ambiguity reigns. Shattering the line between good and evil, the game emphasizes story and character development, while incorporating a tactically-deep, real-time combat system.”
Players will once again “become The Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, and get caught in a web of intrigue woven by forces vying for control of the world. Make difficult decisions and live with the consequences in a game that will immerse you in an extraordinary tale like no other.”
The game is known for its non-linear storyline, and the Steam page promises “an epic narrative full of turns, twists and ambiguous moral decisions which have real impact on the storyline”.
Is there a trailer for The Witcher remake?
There are no trailers as of yet, which frustratingly leaves a lot to our imagination. However, with Unreal Engine 5 being used, we imagine it’s going to look glorious.
If you’d like a little flavour of what the previous version of The Witcher 1 looked like, check out the 14-year-old Enhanced Edition trailer below.
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