The Witcher 4 is targeting a 2028 launch window, and that timing could leave the next mainline RPG without a physical PlayStation edition. The date overlaps with Sony’s reported plan to end physical-media production in 2028.
For now, that does not amount to a final cancellation of a disc release. The concern comes from two timelines landing in the same year: CD Projekt Red’s launch target and PlayStation’s reported move away from physical media.
The upcoming RPG will begin a new saga for the franchise, with Ciri taking over as the main protagonist. CD Projekt Red currently has more than 500 developers focused on the project, while Joint CEO and Board Member Michał Nowakowski has presented it as the studio’s biggest and most ambitious game so far.
The 2028 target also gives CD Projekt Red’s earlier comments a clearer timeline. The company previously said The Witcher 4 would not launch in 2026 and had not shared a date, a position covered in an earlier Witcher 4 release update.
Alongside the release-window news, CD Projekt Red invited gamescom 2026 attendees to visit its booth for a first look at Songs of the Past, an upcoming narrative expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The event appearance is focused on the older game, while The Witcher 4 remains several years away.
What the 2028 target could mean for physical editions
If PlayStation’s physical-media plan remains unchanged, a game released in 2028 could be digital-only on that hardware. CD Projekt Red would need to launch the game earlier or find another way around the policy for a traditional PlayStation disc to reach stores.
Xbox and PC could present a different situation. Unless Xbox also moves to an all-digital model before 2028, physical collectors could see boxed copies limited to Xbox and PC. That outcome would be unusual for a series known for steelbooks, map inserts, and collector’s editions, but the format of The Witcher 4’s retail release has not been settled by the 2028 target alone.
The Witcher 4 is still years from launch, so there is time for platform policies and CD Projekt Red’s plans to change. Until the studio provides platform-specific retail details, a missing PlayStation disc remains a possibility rather than a final announcement.
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The Witcher IV
Developed by CD Projekt RED
