Impressive new Witcher 4 footage at 60fps on standard PS5 with ray tracing

CD Projekt Red's new Witcher 4 demo dazzles with 60fps ray tracing on PS5.

: CD Projekt Red showcased a demo of The Witcher 4 running at 60 frames per second on a standard PlayStation 5, featuring advanced Unreal Engine 5.6 capabilities. The demo highlights improvements in real-time rendering, animations, and ray tracing performance, particularly using features like Lumen and Nanite to enhance visual quality without compromising performance. The demo includes Ciri as the new protagonist, demonstrating complex environments and fluid character movements. Epic Games and CD Projekt Red emphasize the demo is a non-final target render, with the actual game's release still a couple of years away.

At the State of Unreal 2025 event, CD Projekt Red unveiled a stunning tech demo for The Witcher 4, showcasing the game running at 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled on a standard PlayStation 5. This demonstration highlights significant advancements in optimization, particularly given the demanding nature of Unreal Engine 5.6.

The demo features Ciri as the protagonist, exploring richly detailed environments. She navigates through dense forests and a bustling port town, interacting seamlessly with NPCs. The use of Nanite-powered foliage allows for highly detailed natural environments with extensive draw distances, enhancing the game's realism and immersion.

Advanced animation techniques are evident as Ciri mounts her horse, Kelpie, with lifelike movements. The demo also showcases dynamic crowd reactions and environmental details, such as townsfolk responding to Ciri's actions, adding depth to the world-building.

While the demo is not representative of final gameplay, it serves as a testament to the potential performance and visual fidelity achievable on current-gen consoles. CD Projekt Red emphasizes that this is a technological showcase, aiming to set new standards for open-world RPGs.

The Witcher 4 is the first installment in a planned new trilogy and is part of three ongoing Witcher projects, including a remake of the original 2007 game and a multiplayer title codenamed Sirius. No official release window has been announced.

Sources: Polygon, The Verge, Video Games Chronicle, TechSpot

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