The development of the remake for the original The Witcher game has been temporarily halted, with CD Projekt Red stating that the project is dependent on the progress of The Witcher 4. The Polish developer confirmed the hold-up in a statement, explaining that the remake will utilize assets and tools being created for the next main installment in the series.
Fool's Theory, the studio assisting with the remake, is also contributing to The Witcher 4's development and working on The Witcher 3's "Songs of the Past" expansion. A representative for CD Projekt Red clarified that a small portion of Fool's Theory's team is supporting The Witcher 4, while the primary focus remains on the expansion. The integration with The Witcher 4 is described as a production process dependency, requiring the foundational elements for the new title to be in place before the remake can efficiently proceed.
Despite the pause, CD Projekt Red indicated that the remake is not canceled and is expected to eventually be released. Fool's Theory is reportedly using its involvement with The Witcher 4 to familiarize itself with the new engine, tools, and processes. The Witcher Remake was initially announced in 2022, with plans to reimagine the original game as an open-world experience, updating or replacing elements deemed outdated.
Given that The Witcher 4 is slated for release in 2028, and CD Projekt Red aims to complete a trilogy within six years of its debut, the remake is unlikely to emerge before that timeframe. It is speculated that the remake could be positioned between The Witcher 4 and a potential The Witcher 5 to maintain player engagement.
In addition to these Witcher projects, CD Projekt Red is also advancing development on a new intellectual property, codenamed Project Hadar. The company has begun increasing hiring for this project and is currently in the prototyping phase.