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[LectureMaster]

The Witcher 4 PC Only Launch Has Been Considered, But Will Most Likely Be Simultaneous With Consoles

CD Projekt has considered a PC only launch for The Witcher 4, but this is not the strategy it wishes to adopt.

twistedvoxel.com

CD Projekt has considered a PC only launch for the next entry in The Witcher series, dubbed The Witcher 4, but this is not the strategy it wishes to adopt.

During an interview, CD Projekt vice president of technology, Charles Tremblay, was asked whether the developer would consider an approach similar to the one Larian Studios took with Baldur’s Gate 3 for The Witcher 4, where it launched on PC first, and then consoles a few months later to get a little more time and ensure that the latter versions are released in good shape. In response, he said that it’s something the studio has discussed internally.

Tremblay stated that the development team at CD Projekt is not a 100 percent sure on the decision to launch The Witcher 4 only on PC. He added that it’s hard to say if it wants to go this way at this stage. As far as he understands and based on the strategy the studio wants to pursue, the game will most likely not have a PC-only launch. He doesn’t think a PC-only launch, followed by consoles, is a strategy CD Projekt wants to adopt going forward.

 

[laynelane]

They get good sales on console so I can see why they don't want to delay releasing on them. Better to go with the hype people will have across all platforms. I'd imagine they're going to do the work to prevent a repeat of the Cyberpunk disaster, as well.

 

[GrayChild]

CDPR should make it PC-only at least for 2 years, as porting the game to consoles and releasing all versions simultaneously is devaluing PC gaming. Amirite?

 

[Redefine07]

Unreal Crap 5 game , pass.

 

[Buggy Loop]

If it’s like cyberpunk 2077, might as well wait 6 months to a year to refine the console release. Too early and it just hurts the score, day 1 sales, etc.

 

[Thief1987]

Unreal Crap 5 game , pass.

cdpr game, pass

 

[vkbest]

If it’s like cyberpunk 2077, might as well wait 6 months to a year to refine the console release. Too early and it just hurts the score, day 1 sales, etc.

Or focus in consoles first. After all Witcher 3 sold better in PS4 the first 2 years

 

[The Cockatrice]

Once in a while a PC-only triple A game that pushes everything to its limits, yeah, why the fuck not?

 

[mèx]

It will be multiplatform. There is no point in releasing a game on a single platform if you are a third party developer.

 

[Musashipan]

Oh damn
Now it's going to be downgraded to run on peasant consoles, lol

 

[Gaiff]

Or focus in consoles first. After all Witcher 3 sold better in PS4 the first 2 years

That was in 2015. At the time, the record for concurrent users was 8.5M. In 2024, it was over 37M.

The audience for PC since 2015 has grown immensely.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Oh damn
Now it's going to be downgraded to run on peasant consoles, lol

Cyberpunk wasn’t. The PC version is next level compared to consoles.

I wonder if they work with Nvidia again, seems likely.

 

[TheRedRiders]

Oh damn
Now it's going to be downgraded to run on peasant consoles, lol

New-gen consoles are not the lowest common denominator and haven’t been for a while.

 

[Gaiff]

New-gen consoles are not the lowest common denominator and haven’t been for a while.

Maybe not now, but in 2027, the Series S will be a problem.

 

[Fabieter]

Interesting that some people who are really against exclusive would be happy about pc focus of other games. Seems like all people are the same in the end.

 

[SweetTooth]

Its ok, you get Witcher 4, Playstation gets Elden Ring 2

 

[Shifty1897]

PC only launch would hurt overall sales. The better move is to just make sure all versions are airtight before release.

 

[Madserb2023]

It's better to launch on all platforms unless the console versions are bad like Cyberpunk. The Witcher 4 could be cross gen game so it might come out later on the PS6.

 

[Darkkahn]

They can't be that dumb, right?

 

[delishcaek]

... I can already see it.

Half okay-ish to decent PC version, depending on your rig of course.

Playable on PS5 Pro

Dogshit Series X and PS5 versions

"kill me" Series S version that wishes it had been aborted.

They should focus on one platform then port to the other. I have like zero confidence in them doing a good multi plat release, not after the shit show that was Cyberpunk.

 

[NuclearDiarrhea]

They should just release it on console only. I don't think a PC will be powerful enough to handle this game.

 

[RodriGames40]

Maybe not now, but in 2027, the Series S will be a problem.

Doubt it, devs will just drop it like some have. Xbox is irrelevant, PS5 is the target platform.

 

[Calverz]

Focus on pc maximising graphical fidelity potential. Then port to zen 2 consoles.

 

[rodrigolfp]

CDPR should make it PC-only at least for 2 years, as porting the game to consoles and releasing all versions simultaneously is devaluing PC gaming. Amirite?

Graphically, yes.

 

[shamoomoo]

CDPR should make it PC-only at least for 2 years, as porting the game to consoles and releasing all versions simultaneously is devaluing PC gaming. Amirite?

No, even as a joke. The PC is a open platform, with the closest thing to a console like experience in terms of service being Steam.

 

[Hohenheim]

If it's anything like the CP 2077 situation.. hell yeah.
Focus on getting the PC version polished and smooth, then start getting the console versions up to scrub after the release.
This game will probably not be ready before after the next consoles, so maybe focus on getting it ready for those, in order to get the console versions as close to the PC version as possible.

 

[Gonzito]

Less talk and more work CD Projekt

 

[adamsapple]

Switching to UE5 ensures this was never gonna happen.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Id accept it like the old days. When I bought Witcher 1 on PC thats how it was.

As long as some console games get there timed exclusivity too in that case.
Lets go back to those days

 

[V1LÆM]

hell yeah. do it.

i played Cyberpunk at launch on PC and it wasn't terrible. i've played games in much worse states at launch. yes there were bugs but i got through the game no problem and had a good time.

let console players wait. CDPR was a PC first studio. it'd be good to see them go back to their roots.

 

[deriks]

If they really do a good job, sure. CDPR doesn't have a good history with that thou

 

[Fabieter]

hell yeah. do it.

i played Cyberpunk at launch on PC and it wasn't terrible. i've played games in much worse states at launch. yes there were bugs but i got through the game no problem and had a good time.

let console players wait. CDPR was a PC first studio. it'd be good to see them go back to their roots.

So Square Enix continue to focus on consoles would be right because that's their roots after all? Am I right?

 

[vkbest]

That was in 2015. At the time, the record for concurrent users was 8.5M. In 2024, it was over 37M.

The audience for PC since 2015 has grown immensely.

The PC audience always wait for $5 sale. The most part of profits in under first and second year

 

[Zathalus]

Its ok, you get Witcher 4, Playstation gets Elden Ring 2

No need, PlayStation and PC will get both of those games.

 

[Gaiff]

The PC audience always wait for $5 sale. The most part of profits in under first and second year

 

[64bitmodels]

CDPR should make it PC-only at least for 2 years, as porting the game to consoles and releasing all versions simultaneously is devaluing PC gaming. Amirite?

usual suspects suspiciously don't seem to be crying about the PC platform being "devalued." Almost like that was all BS

 

[Zathalus]

The PC audience always wait for $5 sale. The most part of profits in under first and second year

Source? Because there is a pretty large amount of evidence showing this is no longer the case. Such as Steam peak players numbers increasing across a large number of titles, financial reports from companies, and public statements from companies as well. CDPR also has shared data regularly that PC was the lead in the number of copies sold, since just about day one.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Or focus in consoles first. After all Witcher 3 sold better in PS4 the first 2 years

Cyberpunk 2077 had majority on PC though and that’s more representative of what’s happening with major titles day 1 nowadays. We’re a long way from Witcher 3 days. It had a lot more legs on PC ultimately.

Also only the first year PS4 had an advantage

Witcher 3's Sales By System--How The Game Has Sold On PC, PS4, Xbox One, And Switch

CD Projekt Red announces a new sales milestone for The Witcher 3 and more.

www.gamespot.com

 

[Gaiff]

Cyberpunk 2077 had majority on PC though and that’s more representative of what’s happening with major titles day 1 nowadays. We’re a long way from Witcher 3 days. It had a lot more legs on PC ultimately.

I disagree. I think the majority of AAA games still sell on PS5 the best, but there are PC-centric games and franchises that will sell better on PC. The Witcher and Cyberpunk are among those PC-centric franchises. You also have games like STALKER, Baldur's Gate, Souls series, Wukong, and a few others. However, by and large, consoles still have the majority of the first-year sales. PC often isn't far behind though and usually above Xbox.

 

[Fabieter]

usual suspects suspiciously don't seem to be crying about the PC platform being devalued. Almost like that was all BS

What do you think about usal suspects suggesting that all third party game need to hit all platforms at the same time and 60% voting for "it's fine when others have to wait".

 

[Buggy Loop]

I disagree. I think the majority of AAA games still sell on PS5 the best, but there are PC-centric games and franchises that will sell better on PC. The Witcher and Cyberpunk are among those PC-centric franchises. You also have games like STALKER, Baldur's Gate, Souls series, Wukong, and a few others. However, by and large, consoles still have the majority of the first-year sales. PC often isn't far behind though and usually above Xbox.

So all major AAA games that go and win GOTY outside of Sony first parties?

Elden Ring too while we’re at it.

 

[Kacho]

So all major AAA games that go and win GOTY outside of Sony first parties?

Elden Ring too while we’re at it.

Monster Hunter is another

 

[Fabieter]

Monster Hunter is another

I think a switch 2 monster hunter wilds would sell the most if it was released simultaneously.

 

[64bitmodels]

What do you think about usal suspects suggesting that all third party game need to hit all platforms at the same time

This is good

and 60% voting for "it's fine when others have to wait".

This doesn't sound good.

There's no reason a console version of a game should ever "need extra time to come out" in big 2024 when every game is virtually made for them and releases on a platform that at the lowest level is weaker than Switch (PC). All platforms. No exceptions, no excuses.

There is only benefit to gamers when a video game is on as many platforms as possible. Exclusivity leads to the dire situation of most PS3 games being stuck on that old 2006 box, or games like Sonic Unleashed and Forza Motorsport 4 that don't have a modern playable (official) form outside of a dying/dead console brand, in 2006-era IQ and framerates

 

[Salty Pickle]

If they make it run good on console CPUs it will run like a dream on a high specced PC.

This is the way.

 

[demigod]

Rockstar they are not.

 

[Salty Pickle]

Source? Because there is a pretty large amount of evidence showing this is no longer the case. Such as Steam peak players numbers increasing across a large number of titles, financial reports from companies, and public statements from companies as well. CDPR also has shared data regularly that PC was the lead in the number of copies sold, since just about day one.

It’s really not about neither games sold or ”peak players on Steam”, it’s all about lifetime revenue.

Right now on Steam I can get baldurs gate 3 for 48 euros while at PS store it costs me almost 60 euros.

 

[DerivedDataCache]

After that horrible cyberpunk launch on consoles. I don't blame them if they wanna release it first on PC only.
There really wasn't any issues on PC for me. Just a heavy game that needed around a 3080.

 

[shamoomoo]

If you count the PS4 and PS5 as one platform,the PlayStation version number are roughly the same as PC. Also,the PC version of Cyberpunk had less issues vs the console one so that may have contributed to it's lower sales.

 

[Gaiff]

If you count the PS4 and PS5 as one platform,the PlayStation version number are roughly the same as PC. Also,the PC version of Cyberpunk had less issues vs the console one so that may have contributed to it's lower sales.

The point was to illustrate that his claim that PC gamers don’t buy during the launch window and only wait for deep discounts is false.